Disengaged EKSU workers threaten legal action if not reabsorbed within 30 days

Some of the workers of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, who were disengaged in December last year, have issued a 30-day ultimatum to the management of the institution within which to reinstate them or face legal action.

The workers, in a letter, titled, ‘Letter on notice and pre-action notice,’ dated January 22, this year and written by their lawyer, Olabanjo Ayenakin of Banjo Ayenakin and Co., addressed to the EKSU Registrar, Olusola Arogundade, with copies made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, alleged that they were unlawfully disengaged from the institution.

Ayenakin is seeking the immediate restatement of his clients and payment of all the salaries the institution owed them before they were wrongfully disengaged from their appointments, as well as payment of all their salaries from the time of disengagement till now and thereafter, and their promotion to the deserved position without prejudice to the disengagement.

Ayenakin stated that EKSU disengaged his clients on the ground that their services were no longer required when they had not committed any offence, infraction or any act of misconduct and when they were not queried, disciplined or made to face any disciplinary panel.

According to him, the Committee of the Governing Council had refused to budge, even when the affected workers, in accordance with the letter of disengagement issued to them, “individually appealed to it, that they committed no offence and that their disengagements were wrongful, null and void,” adding: “Evidently, the disengagement of our clients in the manner in which it was done smacks of illegality and same is apparently malicious and devoid of fair hearing.

“The disengagement of our clients from their appointments is a direct affront and suspicious violation of the conditions of services of our clients, as enshrined in the regulations of your university.

“Take notice that if your institution fails or refuses to reinstate our clients and accede to all other ancillary requests contained in this letter within 30 days from the date on this letter, we have our clients’ instruction to seek the reliefs contained herein, and that time, we shall not hesitate to seek relief bothering on aggravated damages against your institution.”