Petition: Unions pass vote of confidence on VC

The Joint Action Committee and Congress (JAC) of the Federal University, Gusau in Zamfara, has passed a vote of confidence on the Vice-Chacellor, Prof. Magaji Garba.

Garba recently came under attack by a group of concerned staff of the university.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Information Officer of the institution, Mr. Umar Usman and made available to newsmen in Gusau on Sunday

Usman stated that the JAC comprised the university’s branches of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU), and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

According to him, the four bodies “dissociated themselves from a petition written on the University’s Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration and Internal Council Members representing the Senate of the University.

“The chairmen of the four unions have in a communique issued after their emergency meeting on Thursday, 17th September, 2020 affirmed the stand of the unions on the issue of a petition claimed to have been written by the concerned members of the University staff,” the statement added.

News Agency of Nigeria recalls that on Aug.5, a group from the institution referred to as “Concerned Persons,” had in a petition addressed to the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Education, urged the National Assembly to look into their grievances in order to save the university from collapse.

The petition titled “Petition about the Systematic Corruption and Abuse of Office against the Vice Chancellor/Chief Executive, Prof. Magaji Garba of the Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State,” was signed on behalf of the group by N.S.Danbala Esq.

It cited among others that the vice-chancellor had arrogated all powers of running the university to himself and needed the institution’s records to be put straight before the vice-chancellor completes his term.

The petitioners also alleged that the vice-chancellor had caused “huge loses on the university funds due to illegal award of contracts”.

“The University Council has earlier ratified recommendations of an Investigation Committee which found the VC guilty of corruption, disregard to due process  bribery, financial misappropriation, illegal staff recruitment, divide and rule tactics and illegal deals,” the petitioners added.

Edited By: Shittu Obassa/Maharazu Ahmed
Source: NAN