The Federal Government has insisted that there is no going back on the planned concession of King’s College, Lagos, to the King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA), while assuring workers that no staff member will be dismissed as a result of the arrangement.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, gave the assurance on Monday while communicating the resolution reached at the end of an emergency meeting with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and other affiliated unions over the controversy surrounding the proposed concession.

The Special Adviser, Media and Communications, to the Minister, Mr Ikharo Attah, conveyed this in a statement on Monday.

The meeting followed the disruption of academic activities in federal unity colleges after the unions directed their members to suspend work over concerns about the planned management arrangement for King’s College.

Alausa said the implementation of the agreement with KCOBA would proceed, but announced the constitution of a seven-member high-level committee to review outstanding concerns raised by the unions and make additional recommendations that could be incorporated into the existing agreement.

He said the committeee would comprise two representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education, including the Minister of State for Education and the Acting Permanent Secretary; one representative of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment; two senior-level representatives of the TUC; and two representatives of KCOBA.

According to the minister, the committee would have one to two weeks to complete its assignment and submit its recommendations.

Alausa said the decision was reached after a robust engagement with the unions, stressing that the meeting was conducted in the spirit of mutual respect, dialogue and national interest.

He said although all stakeholders might not get everything they wanted, continued dialogue would provide an opportunity to address concerns and arrive at solutions that would serve the interest of the country, particularly Nigerian children.

The minister gave a categorical assurance that no member of staff of King’s College would be dismissed as a result of the concession arrangement.

He further said both academic and non-academic staff would continue to be treated in accordance with the Public Service Rules, with no infringement of the rules regarding their deployment.

“There will be no demonisation or punishment of any member of staff arising from these issues,” the minister assured.

The development followed earlier concerns raised by the unions over the use of the word “concessioning” and its possible implications for the status and welfare of workers at the 117-year-old institution.

The unions had also expressed concern that the arrangement could affect the status of workers and the continued public ownership of the college.

However, the Federal Government has maintained that King’s College is not being sold and remains publicly owned, explaining that KCOBA is expected under the arrangement to finance, rehabilitate, modernise, operate and maintain the institution.

KCOBA had earlier announced a N100 billion endowment fund as part of its plans to reposition the college and improve its infrastructure and learning environment.

Speaking on the outcome of Monday’s meeting, TUC General Secretary, Comrade Nuhu Toro, described the engagement as “fruitful and robust”, saying the concerns of the unions were presented and considered in good faith.

Toro announced that the TUC would suspend the industrial action earlier directed against its affiliates to allow the newly constituted committee to carry out its assignment.

He, however, said the unions reserved the right to resume the suspended action if the issues were not satisfactorily resolved.

The TUC leader welcomed the constitution of the committee, saying it would provide the unions with an opportunity to examine the relevant policy document, raise their concerns and make contributions before the parties reconvene within the stipulated period.

Toro also stressed the need for urgent intervention in the condition of King’s College, saying the status quo could not continue in view of the dilapidated state of some facilities at the institution.

He described the outcome of the meeting as a “win-win” situation, noting that the unions had secured assurances on the protection of their members while the government had demonstrated a willingness to review areas requiring further consideration.

Following the resolution, the Federal Government directed all federal unity colleges affected by the industrial action to resume academic activities immediately.

The unions had earlier directed their members in federal unity colleges and King’s College not to resume work over the proposed concession.

In a communiqué issued after its meeting on September 10, the ASCSN had directed workers in federal unity colleges to stay away from work until further notice, describing the proposed arrangement as an “assault and affront” on the unity of Nigeria.

The controversy was also fuelled by protests by parents and other stakeholders at King’s College, who opposed the proposed concession to KCOBA and threatened legal action.

The Federal Government, however, said the latest engagement was part of its broader efforts to strengthen public educational institutions, improve infrastructure and create a better learning environment.

Alausa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continued dialogue with workers and other stakeholders, saying the process would be guided by the law, mutual respect and the national interest.

He said the government would continue to work with KCOBA, the unions and other stakeholders to strengthen King’s College, preserve its heritage and improve the quality of education while protecting the interests of students and workers. (Nigerian Tribune)