Students of Plateau State University, Bokkos have protested the improper sack of their Vice Chancellor, Prof Matur B Malau, calling on the state governor Caleb Mutfwang to allow state owned higher institutions operate under the rule of law.
The students said it is only in an atmosphere of legality that the education sector can enable governance to develop a society we all can be proud of.
The students who displayed various placards bearing different inscriptions were seen singing discordant songs while anti-protest police men were parading the campus urged the government to reverse the decision to sack their Vice Chancellor. Efforts by our reporters to interview the students failed as they are afraid of being quoted.
In a press statement signed by the chairman of coalition of civil society in Abuja, Comrade Palm Jatau in response to the sacking of the Vice Chancellor of Plateau state University and Heads of Tertiary institutions frowned at such action describing it as the most erroneous decision on the planet earth especially when these appointees have not committed any offence.
“Even when they have committed an offence, there exist due process that must be followed in exercising disciplinary action on them’ the statement added.
They reminded the governor that he was voted into office as a better alternative to the former APC administration in the state and as a result should uphold the best principle in all his actions including this matter to retain the love the people have for him.
The academia is the conscience of the society where ethics, morals and standards guiding humanity is nurtured. For a government to begin to take actions that are not properly anchored on justice fairness and utmost decorum is to say the least an attempt to sink the institutions into abysmal opprobrium.
The statement also added that students of Plateau state University and those institutions whose Heads were sacked have all been protesting this inconceivable action of the state governor calling on the government to reinstate the headship of the various tertiary institution as anything on the contrary will derail the programs of the institutions.
Higher institutions are governed by rule of law and not draconian, In that sense there is a laid down procedure for appointing and removing the Heads, acting otherwise will dislocate the foundation and fabrics on which the institutions are built.
While commending Governor Mutfang for some laudable developmental initiatives he has been taking since assumption of office, the group drew the governors attention to the fact that Tertiary institutions are custodians of the youthful class and restive components of the society, cautioning that as plateau works towards building enduring peace, he should be wary of any decision that could regenerate crisis in the state like removing the Heads of Higher institutions loved by the students without due process stressing that he should retrace his step. ‘’A stitch in time they say saves nine’’ the statement concluded.
