6^th January, 2009

The Honourable Minister of Education

All Principals of Unity Colleges

All Controllers of Labour in State Offices

All Chairmen of Parents/Teachers Associations

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE CHAIRMEN OF THE UNITS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS OF NIGERIA (ASCSN) IN THE 104 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COLLEGES, NATIONWIDE HELD ON TUESDAY, 6^TH JANUARY, 2009 IN LAGOS

An emergency meeting of the Chairmen of the units of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) in the 104 Federal Government Colleges also known as Unity Schools throughout the country was held in Lagos on Tuesday 6^th January, 2009.

During the meeting, the Chairmen reflected on various issues that have impeded the smooth operations of the Unity Colleges and also considered the role of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education Goke Adegoroye PhD in the unfolding saga and resolved as follows:

(i)         CEDING OF UNITY COLLEGES TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND/OR OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION

The meeting recalled that the past Federal Administration attempted to auction the 104 Unity Colleges to private individuals under the contrived Public Private Partnership (PPP) Model but that this plan was check-mated by the union which, apart from calling out its members in the colleges on a 7-week strike, mobilized the Nigerian people to oppose the sale.  It also observed that the present Federal Administration at inception declared publicly through the then Hon. Minister of Education, Igwe Aja-Nwachukwu that the purported plan to hand over the Unity schools to private enterprises was ill-advised and accordingly distanced itself from the policy. The meeting, therefore, expressed shock that the same Federal Government had decided to cede the 104 Unity Schools to the State Government which did not request for them and which had not been able to run their own schools effectively.  The chairmen accordingly urged the Federal Government not to abdicate its responsibility on education as enshrined in the section 3(a) – (d) of the Constitution so as not to compound the already high illiteracy rate in the country.

(ii)        STOPPAGE OF ADMISSION INTO UNITY SCHOOLS

The Chairmen also reflected on the non-admission of students into JSSI in the 104 Federal Government Colleges after about 64,000 candidates had sat for the common entrance examination and attended oral interviews.  The meeting pointed out that the non-admission of students into the JSSI classes in the Unity Schools on the ground that Government was implementing the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Scheme was untenable because other Federal Government Colleges in the Army, the Navy, the Airforce and the Police were still running the JSS and SSS systems.  The meeting therefore called on the Federal Government to release the admission list into the JSSI classes in the Unity Colleges like other Federal Government Colleges in the armed forces and the police had done so as not to mortgage the future of the affected children.

(iii)       POSTING OF STAFF WITHOUT ANY FINANCIAL PROVISION AS CONTAINED IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE RULES (PSR)

The meeting noted that the mass transfer of about 3,000 education officers to various locations without paying the affected personnel their entitled allowances such as 28 days in lieu of accommodation, transport and resettlement allowances were inhuman since the officers concerned are free Nigerian citizens who must not be treated as slaves.  The Chairmen accordingly demanded that all those transferred including those who were rejected by some Principals must be paid their full entitlements without any further delay.

(iv)       RE: DEPLOYMENT OF PERMANENT SECRETARY, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, GOKE ADEGOROYE PHD

The meeting accepted the directive of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria calling for the redeployment of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Goke Adegoroye PhD to a place where he would have superiors but no subordinates because he had not only become an obstacle to the smooth operations of the Ministry but also had nothing but contempt for other civil servants.

(v)        SUSPENSION OF SENIOR OFFICERS BY

GOKE ADEGOROYE PHD

            The meeting equally dwelled on the unilateral suspension order clamped on some senior officers by the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Education Goke Adegoroye PhD without the approval of the Federal Civil Service Commission and demanded the immediate reversal of the suspension because it violated the Public Service Rules (PRS).

(vi)       PAYMENT OF 15% SALARY INCREASE

The meeting noted that all civil servants in other Federal Ministries including those at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja had been paid their 15% salary in crease and resolved that the Federal Government must also pay civil servants in the 104 unity colleges their 15% salary increase immediately in the interest of fairness, equity and justice.

(vii)      The meeting equally frowned at the non-payment of arrears of promotion of the past three years and called for immediate payment of all arrears of promotion owed members of staff of the 104 Unity Schools.

(viii)      The meeting also called on the Federal Ministry of Education to normalize the seniority arrangement in the Ministry by arranging fresh interviews for all officers that were denied promotion interview at the last promotion exercise conducted for officers on GL 14 – 16.

Consequently, the meeting resolved that a nation-wide strike in all the 104 unity schools will commence immediately since the one month ultimatum given to the Ministry at a meeting with the Federal Ministry of Labour to meet the demands expired on 4^th January, 2009.  Accordingly, parents and guardians are advised not to release their Children and Wards to the Colleges until all the issues in dispute are resolved so as not to put them in serious difficulties.

Solomon .A. Onaghinon Esq.,

        Secretary-General