VC faults attack on journalists, condemns protests by workers

Vice-chancellor, Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), Prof. Kayode Soremekun has condemned the attack on journalists during a recent protest by some staff of the university.

The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), as well as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) of the institution, had staged a protest at the entrance of the institution over non-implementation of their promotion, hazard and Christmas allowances as well as some sundry issues.

The journalists invited to cover the protest were attacked by some workers of the institution with a traditional belt similar to the one worn by cultists but were prevented by some leaders of the two unions of the university.

Prof. Soremekun however dissociated himself and the school management from the assault and treatment meted out to journalists.

The vice-chancellor noted that some of the agitations of the workers contravened industrial relations.

Prof. Soremekun who maintained that the matter is an internal affair expressed shock that the unionists invited newsmen for their congress, adding that the workers had a sinister motive to have embarked on such.

“We were supposed to meet again to review the issues but they had to call a congress at the gate of the university, which I think runs clearly against the tenets of the school. Because if they want to hold a congress, there are lecture rooms, where such can be held, but they decided against my counsel to still hold this particular meeting at the gate of the university. I think the intention was to give it a dramatic edge”.

On the issue of hazard allowance and backdoor recruitment, the vice chancellor explained that there was nothing of such saying it is impossible to recruit any staff through backdoor without involving the Federal character commission.