There was a twist in the face-off between the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, and the varsity’s Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU).
OAU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Tale Omole yesterday alleged threats to his life by the leadership of the university’s branch of NASU.
Both parties have continued to point fingers at each other over unresolved labour-related matters affecting the NASU members.
Already, NASU members at OAU have begun an indefinite strike over the alleged non-implementation of the 15 per cent CONTISS salary, poor welfare and salary increment, among other demands.
The university’s management and NASU have, since last year, been at loggerheads over some demands by the union, which the management has not met.
Prof. Omole yesterday alleged that some members of NASU attempted to kidnap him and other principal officers of the university.
But the chairman of NASU, Comrade Wole Odewumi, denied the allegation.
In a statement by Richard Oyewole, said to be the chairman of the “Committee for Uninterrupted Academic Session”, Prof Omole accused the leadership of NASU of plotting to kidnap him and some other principal officers of the university.
The statement reads: “The action was to blackmail the university management to pay some illegal allowances not backed up by the Federal Government circulars.
“…Credible information at the disposal of our correspondence indicates that selected members of NASU, in their strategic and tactical planning committee, have concluded plans to kidnap the Vice-Chancellor and other principal officers of the university to pay some illegal allowances not backed up by the government circulars.”
“In the past one week, NASU activities on OAU campus have been confrontational and disruptive. On Friday, June 22, NASU disrupted academic activities on campus and prevented principal officers from entering their offices and also harassed students who were preparing for their examinations.”
It noted that NASU’s demand for the payment of a two-step salary increase, called “parity” between academic and non-academic workers’ salary scales approved by the government, has been the bone of contention between the union’s national body and the Federal Government since 2001.
Other demands of the union, the statement said, include “payment of 15 per cent CONTISS salary, which also has no government back-up circular and for which the university authority has asked the NASU members to produce the relevant circulars, if they have.”
The statement also said the students have urged the union to allow them conclude their ongoing examinations but were threatened to be attacked if they showed up for the examinations.
Odewumi denied any plot to kidnap the Vice-Chancellor or any principal officer, saying the institution’s management was only being haunted by its misdeeds.
He said: “Nobody is kidnapping anybody. It was a mere flimsy allegation which has no basis or substance and cannot hold any water. The management is only feeling the guilt for the deeds it committed. How can we get our demands if we kidnap the Vice-Chancellor, who is in a position to address our demands?
“There is no going back on the strike we have begun. The university management resulted into all sorts of lies just because they want us to succumb, but we have vowed never to succumb. We shall not relent until all our 13-point demands are met.”
Source: www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/51684-oau-nasu-face-off-vc-alleges-threat-to-life.html
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