•Alausa accuses directors of instigating employees
•Says no going back on concessioning
Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Workers of the Federal Ministry of Education have agreed to suspend their industrial action following a meeting with the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos.
The meeting, which ended late yesterday in Abuja, produced an agreement aimed at de-escalating tension and restoring normalcy in the ministry and at the college.
Under the agreement, workers will immediately suspend the industrial action embarked upon to protest the planned takeover of King’s College.
The ministers also assured that no staff will be victimised for participating in the protest.
Both parties further agreed to a two-week pause on the take-off of the implementation of the takeover of King’s College by the Old Boys Association to allow for dialogue.
It was also agreed that policemen deployed to King’s College premises will be redeployed with immediate effect.
In addition, a seven-man committee will be set up to negotiate and thoroughly examine the federal government’s agreement with the Old Students Association on the management of King’s College.
The meeting came hours after Alausa accused some directors in the ministry of instigating workers and after workers blocked the ministry’s gate, forcing the earlier cancellation of a scheduled meeting.
Alausa, who addressed journalists at a press conference in Abuja, said there was no going back on the concession, insisting that the federal government remained committed to it despite opposition from workers and other stakeholders.
He insisted that the government followed due process in arriving at the decision, which is aimed at improving the college’s infrastructure, resources and overall management.
“Misinformation has been going around, perpetuated by union members and unscrupulous members of staff of the Federal Ministry of Education,” Alausa said.
“But the unscrupulous staff of the Federal Ministry of Education, some people, via whatever name of the association that have turned the lives of our students and the lives of our children into criminal enterprise, we will not allow that to happen,” he added.
The minister also accused the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of King’s College of turning admission into a criminal enterprise.
“The PTA of King’s College has turned admission into King’s College into criminal enterprise,” he alleged, claiming the association charges up to N20 million per admission.
Meanwhile, Alausa announced the cancellation of a meeting earlier scheduled with workers of the ministry for Wednesday.
He said the workers failed to meet two conditions set as prerequisite for the engagement.
“We gave them two conditions yesterday (Tuesday). We said we would meet with you at 3 p.m. today (Wednesday), but members of staff of the Federal Ministry of Education must return to work, and the gate of the ministry must not be blocked.
“They didn’t follow these two requirements, which we thought were simple,” the minister said.