No fewer than 204 academic and non-academic staff in Osun state-owned tertiary institutions will be disengaged from service, according to the provosts and rectors of colleges of education and polytechnics.

The provosts and rectors made this known on Tuesday when they appeared before the Osun House Assembly on Tuesday in Osogbo.

They said the staff would be disengaged on grounds of redundancy, inappropriate qualification, disciplinary matters and poor personnel records, among others.

According to data obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), about 100 academic and 104 non-academic staff will be affected.

Dr Sola Agboola, the Rector of the State Polytechnic, Iree, said that about 22 academic staff and 46 non-academic staff would be affected at his institution.

Similarly, Dr Augustus Oke, the Provost, College of Education, Esa-Oke, said that 15 teaching staff and 10 non-teaching staff would be affected in the college.

Mr Kadir Adegoke, Provost of Ilesha College of Education, said 17 teaching staff and 22 non-teaching staff would be affected in his institution, while the Provost of Ila College of Education, Mr Clement Akanni, put the number to be affected in his institution at 46 teaching and 26 non-teaching staff.

Akanni, said the exercise was not intended to witch-hunt but anybody but aimed at improving the standard of education in the state.

The officials said that the state government was not part of the disengagement plan, stressing that it was the decision of the governing councils.

Meanwhile, Mr Najeem Salaam, the Speaker of the assembly, has directed management of the institutions to stop the distribution of the sack letters until it concludes its investigation.

Salaam said the assembly stood for justice and would investigate the matter before reaching a conclusion.

“Justice has been our watchword in this assembly and we promise to continue to always be on the side of the citizens.

“No innocent person will be punished unjustly as we are ready to get to the root of the matter.”

Salaam directed the provosts and rectors of the institutions to submit the files of the sacked staff to the assembly for investigation.

He also directed them to submit the files of the management staff to the assembly for verification and assessment. (NAN)

•Photo shows Osun Gov. Rauf Aregbesola.

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