Amosun sacks NLC chair, 14 others, suspends 18 teachers

Samuel Awoyinfa, Abeokuta

The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has approved the dismissal of the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress,  Akeem Ambali, the  NLC vice-chairman and the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Dare Ilekoya.

Also on the dismissal list were 14 others. Eighteen others, who are mostly teachers, were suspended.

Their dismissal and suspension was part of the recommendations contained in a report of a panel of inquiry set up to investigate the alleged misconduct of the executive members of the NUT during the 2016 World Teachers Day celebration on October 5 in Abeokuta.

The officials of the union were said to have been suspended for their roles in the conduct of the celebration.

The recommendations of the panel signed by the Head of Service, Sola Adeyemi, were approved by the state government for immediate implementation.

Our correspondent gathered  that the state government set up an administrative panel of inquiry to look into alleged complaints received from some members of the public against the affected officers for their alleged involvement “in various acts of misconduct and contravention of extant regulations during the celebration.”

The NLC chairman was until his dismissal a deputy director, Community and Social Development, Sagamu Local Government Area of the state.

He was accused of making “inflammable and scandalous remarks” against the state government, which the panel noted,  could cause the breach of peace in the state.

Those dismissed from service were said to have been found guilty of contravening the Public Service Rules 04401,04421(c&d) and 04406(a).

Those dismissed were A.O. Oshin, Nola Balogun, Eniola Atiku, Solaru.O., Adebanjo T., Akinola A.S., Oyolola S.A., Obafemi O.B., Ogunsola Peter, Akinlade S.A., Christopher T.A., Ogunrombi A.A., Azeez K.I. and Taiwo A.O.

Those suspended were Odusanya S.A., Comrade Akapo, Adegbesan J.O., Adelami S. I., Obadara O., Ogunnuga O.A., Ayokambi T.A., Tijani A.A., Adegbesan J.O., Idowu A.O., Olaifa O.A., Bayo Lasore, Ahmodu S.A., Oludotun Oliyide, Tijani Y.A., Awode I.A., Dada O.A. and Adesanya Abiola.

The state government had directed the Ogun State Local Government Service Commission, the State Universal Basic Education Board and the Teaching Service Commission to implement the recommendations with immediate effect.

But the state NLC chairman has described the action as “executive recklessness and abuse of all statutory laws.”

He urged the workers “to remain resolute in the quest to have their legitimate right from an autocratic and deceitful government.”

In a statement on Monday night, he said he had never been summoned by any panel, adding that the attention of the leadership of the union was just drawn to the purported dismissal through phone calls.

The statement read in part, “Our call for this strike is legitimate, just and right. They have only shown their true colour and this new approach is unprecedented in the history of this country, as no state governor has done what they are doing to us in Ogun State. Their past draconian efforts have never yielded any fruits, so also will be this move to cage us in Ogun State.

“We only want to warn that they should not set this state on fire, even as we urge our members to remain calm and just stay at home. Aluta continua!”