The Member representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Hon Amobi Godwin Ogah, has presented a petition before the House of Representatives over the recent disengagement of 127 staff members of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State.
The petition, filed on behalf of Mr. Unam-Okechukwu Henry Kelechi (Staff No. SS/4510) and 126 other affected staff, challenges what was described as their unlawful disengagement by the university management.
Presenting the petition on the floor of the Green Chamber, Hon. Ogah alleged that the affected workers were duly recruited by the university but were subsequently removed from the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) payroll, denied payment of five months’ salaries, and allegedly compelled by security personnel to surrender their official identity cards and sign disengagement letters.
According to the lawmaker, the circumstances surrounding the disengagement warrant legislative intervention to protect the rights of the affected employees and ensure due process.
Following the presentation, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen
directed Hon. Ogah to formally lay the petition before the House and referred the matter to the House Committee on Tertiary Education and Services for investigation and appropriate legislative action.
The committee is expected to examine the allegations and make recommendations to the House after its investigation.
