By Peter Omopo
The Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Agriculture (ASUCA) has commenced a three-day warning strike to protest the appointment of Prof. Jeremiah Atumgwu as Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The union, in a statement delivered by its National President, Williams Manggoel, during a press briefing in Jos, Plateau State, on Thursday, said the strike would run from Monday to Wednesday next week, following the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum issued to the federal government.
Manggoel criticised Atumgwu’s appointment, describing it as a breach of established criteria for the position. He explained that the vacancy notice had specifically called for candidates who were Assistant Directors, Associate Professors, or Principal Lecturers from National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) or Federal Colleges of Agriculture (FCAs).
“We have exhausted the 21-day notice provided by law and have resolved to embark on a three-day warning strike,” Manggoel said. “The appointment of a university professor contradicts the advertised requirements and is a blow to long-serving academic staff in the colleges.”
He warned that appointing university professors to head colleges of agriculture could lead to brain drain and undermine the morale of staff who have risen through the ranks within the system.
ASUCA also expressed dissatisfaction with the recent advertisement for the position of Provost/CEO at the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Vom, which listed Associate Professor as the minimum qualification. The union argued that only staff from NARIs and FCAs should be eligible for such roles and demanded that the advert be corrected.
The union has vowed to escalate its actions if its concerns are not addressed promptly.
