Staff of F.C.E Pankshin in Plateau State, have since January 9th, 2013, embarked on an indefinite strike action demanding the return of over 200 million Naira of cooperative money which was used to augment their salaries. It was learnt that the monies were illegally cornered by the Provost and Bursar, without the consent of cooperative members.

ViewPointNigeria exclusively gathered that, this misappropriation was first discovered in April, 2012 when members of the cooperative associations under the Unions began to raise eyebrows and asked critical questions as to why they were unable to access loans or parts of their savings. Deductions from loans and monthly subscriptions were usually cartered away before salaries were posted to bank accounts of staff members, however, members who sought loans were repeatedly denied their privileges. After intense pressure, the leaders of the union-cooperative confessed that monthly deductions had not been remitted to them since January of 2012.

The members therefore demanded that their monies be returned to them immediately, with the accrued interest. The Provost, through the college management, tendered an apology to the unions namely; Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education in Nigeria (SSUCOEN) and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU). The cooperative associations of these unions were derived as initiatives of the unions to assist members financially). In the letter, the management promised to return all the money ‘loaned’ from the cooperatives before the end of October 2012, a promise which it reneged on.

Having seen the management’s failure to remit the money it owed, the college went on a 3-day warning strike from 28th- 30th November, 2012 after which the management was given a one month ultimatum to pay back all the money supposedly “loaned”.

Staff of F.C.E Pankshin in Plateau State, have since January 9th, 2013, embarked on an indefinite strike action demanding the return of over 200 million Naira of cooperative money which was used to augment their salaries. It was learnt that the monies were illegally cornered by the Provost and Bursar, without the consent of cooperative members.

ViewPointNigeria exclusively gathered that, this misappropriation was first discovered in April, 2012 when members of the cooperative associations under the Unions began to raise eyebrows and asked critical questions as to why they were unable to access loans or parts of their savings. Deductions from loans and monthly subscriptions were usually cartered away before salaries were posted to bank accounts of staff members, however, members who sought loans were repeatedly denied their privileges. After intense pressure, the leaders of the union-cooperative confessed that monthly deductions had not been remitted to them since January of 2012.

The members therefore demanded that their monies be returned to them immediately, with the accrued interest. The Provost, through the college management, tendered an apology to the unions namely; Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education in Nigeria (SSUCOEN) and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU). The cooperative associations of these unions were derived as initiatives of the unions to assist members financially). In the letter, the management promised to return all the money ‘loaned’ from the cooperatives before the end of October 2012, a promise which it reneged on.

Having seen the management’s failure to remit the money it owed, the college went on a 3-day warning strike from 28th- 30th November, 2012 after which the management was given a one month ultimatum to pay back all the money supposedly “loaned”.

Prof. David L. Wonnang, Provost of the college on the 5th of December, 2012, during a forum with all staff of the college claimed that there has been a consistent shortfall in the subventions sent to the college that was why they delved their fingers into the coffers of the cooperatives. He however, promised that cooperatives will have their money by December 31st, 2012.
Howver, following the non remittance of the money in January, the members of both NASU and SSUCOEN unions embarked on an indefinite strike with academic staff members (COEASU) following suit about three weeks ago.

At the time of filing this report, it is was still uncertain when the money of the cooperative associations will be paid or when the strike will end as it is widely insinuated that the missing money may have been invested in one of the defunct wonder banks of Jos.
 Members of the union who met the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) said that he only became aware in the third week of the strike but that he has not taken any positive action since then.

Meanwhile, reports from Abuja indicate that the provost and the Bursar connived to deny all staff of their annual bonuses of 2011 and 2010, in addition to the nonpayment of minimum wage arrears of about 7,000 Naira for each staff. If totaled, the sum of money misappropriated by the Provost and the Bursar may be in the tune of 250 million Naira.

by Ishaya Gotom

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N200 Million unaccounted for by FCE Pankshin Provost as strike enters 9th week