The lingering faceoff between Dr Wahab Azeez, Provost of Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos and some union members, on Thursday, shifted to Abuja office of the Federal Ministry of Education. The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman and other principal officers of the Ministry are about now meeting with all the warring parties to the faceoff that has kept the institution in limbo since May 27th, 2024......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
The meeting, holding at the Federal Ministry of Education, Permanent Secretary’s Conference Room is coming at the behest of a summons by the office of the MoE Permanent Secretary, Did Watson-Jack, as it invited about stakeholders of the pioneer technical College of Education including the Provost.
Recall that crisis ensued at the College following an eye brow raised by some workers of the tertiary institution under the banner of Concerned Workers alleging the Provost of the College, Dr Azeez of tenure elongation and high handedness.
The Concerned Staff had insisted that with the amendment of the Educational Colleges Act 2023, which introduced a five-year single term of office for Provosts and other principal officers of the colleges, the tenure of Mr Azeez had ended on 26 May.
The resultant protest by the aggrieved workers who insisted the Provost must go has kept some principal officers of the College at bay as their offices were not accessible since the crisis erupted 27th May.
Since then there have been accusations, counter-accusations and denials of alleged threat to life, high handedness, non-performance, disobedience and Police harassment, among others.
However, reports said the leadership of the institution’s students’ union and the Senate of the National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students (NANCES) have urged the Minister not to succumb to the “machinations of those who have taken laws into their hands.”
However, the atmosphere at the College remained calm today as workers and students who are preparing for examinations moved around the Akoka campus quietly as they await the outcome of the meeting.