Irregular employment:  Ekiti varsity sacks over 600 workers

The Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti (EKSU) has announced the sacking of over 600 workers who were allegedly recruited between 2016 and 2018 during the administration of Mr Ayodele Fayose as governor of the state.

During the period in question, the former spokesman of the Senate, Prince Dayo Adeyeye was the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Institution’s Governing Council.

Speaking on the issue on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti, the Vice-Chancellor of EKSU, Professor Eddy Olanipekun said the decision was reached after the council meeting’s consideration on the external audit conducted by a private firm following the recommendations of the visitation panel.

Olanipekun revealed that with the sack of the over 600 staff, the university would be saving over N200 million.

According to him, ” 619 were illegally recruited between 2016 and 2018. Some were overaged having clocked 68 or 69 but still working when the statute prescribed 65 for non-academic and 70 for academic staff.

“The workers were employed irregularly against university regulations within the period 2016-2018 thereby causing a major personnel dis-alignment and skyrocketing of the university wage bill by about 100% within two years.

“The situation was so bad in the university that it was the monthly contributions of members of staff who belong to some Cooperative, Thrift and Credit Societies in the University that were partly and on a monthly basis used by the then university administration to pay the salaries of those that were irregularly employed and who interestingly refused to join any of the Cooperative, Thrifts and Credit Societies.

“228 members of staff could not produce/show evidence of Primary School Leaving Certificate. There were some ghost workers whose names were found on the university payroll without being on the university nominal role.

“Some members of staff presented falsified birth and educational certificates. Some of the members of staff lacked the required basic educational qualification.

“Some members of staff were illegally retained in the university services after having been due to retire. There are other cases of over-aged staff. Some others lacked the required basic educational qualification.

“Consequently after due consideration of the issues involved, and the overall best interest of the university in being properly positioned for local relevance and global competitiveness, the Governing Council of Ekiti State University has directed that those who were found to have fallen into the categories above be disengaged of their appointments forthwith in accordance with the university regulations, ” he said.