Socio-Economic Rights and AccountabilityProject (SERAP) has sent an urgent<\/p>\n
appeal to\u00a0Mallam Adamu Adamu Minister of Education requesting him to
\n\u201corderan immediate, unconditional and full reinstatement of all the
\ntwenty-three SeniorStaff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)
\nsacked by the FederalUniversity of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) simply
\nbecause theyreported cases of corruption on campus to the Economic and
\nFinancial CrimesCommission (EFCC).\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0 SERAP said that unless Mr Adama is
\nable to \u201cprevailon the University Council to recall the victimised 23
\nstaff members withinseven days after the receipt and\/or publication of
\nthis letter, ourorganization will be compelled to pursue appropriate legal
\naction to challenge theseunjust acts against whistle-blowers.\u201d In the
\nletter dated 6 December 2016 andsigned by SERAP executive director
\nAdetokunbo Mumuni the organization saidthat, \u201cSERAP has been fully briefed
\nby the twenty-three SSANU members ofstaff of the Federal University of
\nAgriculture Abeokuta who were sacked whistle-blowersbecause of their
\npublic interest disclosures on alleged corruption and unlawfulenrichment
\nof the Vice Chancellor and Pro Chancellor.\u201d \u00a0According to the
\norganization,\u201cAllegations of corruption, unlawful enrichment and the
\nmisuse of power or anyposition of authority by university personnel for
\npersonal gain threaten andharm the public interest. SERAP is seriously
\nconcerned about the allegedsystemic and widespread nature of the crimes in
\nan ivory tower which issupposed to be bedrock of learning and good
\nculture.\u201d \u00a0The letter reads in part: \u201cWeare seriously concerned that these
\ndismissed SSANU staff members were not beingappropriately treated or
\nprotected by the University authorities or Council toremedy the exposed
\nthreats or harm to them. No whistle-blower should ever be penalisedsimply
\nfor making a public interest disclosure.\u201d \u00a0\u201cSERAP strongly believesthat
\nevery individual should feel safe to freely raise public interestconcerns,
\njust as the SSANU staff members have done in disclosing informationon
\nalleged corruption, fraud and unlawful enrichment in the University
\nofAgriculture Abeokuta. Unless 23 staff members are granted the
\nappropriateprotection deserving of whistle-blowers and unconditionally
\nreinstated, asignificant opportunity to protect the University and public
\ninterest would bemissed.\u201d
\n\u201cBy terminating theappointment of these staff members, SERAP believes that
\nthe University Councilhas acted improperly or attempted to cover up the
\nalleged corruption and fraudrather than promptly addressing it by
\nreferring the allegations to appropriateanticorruption agencies and
\ninstitutions such as the Economic and FinancialCrimes Commission (EFCC)
\nand the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other RelatedOffences Commission
\n(ICPC).\u201d \u00a0\u201cVictimisation of whistle-blowerswill not under any
\ncircumstances or anywhere be tolerated especially under thewatch of the
\nPresident Muhammadu Buhari government, which builds its reputationon the
\nfight against grand corruption. As a matter of law, the Council has a
\nresponsibilityto promptly and thoroughly investigate allegations of
\ncorruption and frauddisclosed by whistle-blowers such as the 23 SSANU
\nmembers, and where appropriatebring those suspected to be responsible to
\njustice.\u201d \u00a0\u201cEncouraging whistle-blowersto speak up improves public
\nservices and strengthens transparency and publicaccountability. Therefore,
\nit is in the interest of the University communityand all Nigerians that
\nallegations of corruption in the University system are promptlyrevealed,
\ninvestigated by an independent body and suspected perpetratorsbrought to
\njustice.\u201d \u00a0 \u201cThe termination of theappointment of these staff members
\namounts to retaliation. Their status as awhistle-blower is not diminished
\neven if the perceived threat to the publicinterest has not materialised,
\nsince they would seem to have reasonable groundsto believe in the accuracy
\nof the disclosures on alleged corruption and fraudin the University.\u201d
\n\u201cSERAP believes thatwhistleblowing is very important in deterring and
\npreventing corruption, and instrengthening democratic accountability and
\ntransparency in the country ingeneral. Whistleblowing is indeed a
\nfundamental aspect of freedom of expressionand freedom of conscience and
\nis important in tackling gross mismanagement ofour commonwealth.
\nWhistleblowing can act as an early warning to prevent damageas well as
\ndetect wrongdoing that may otherwise remain hidden.\u201d \u00a0 \u201cWhistleblowing can
\nalsohelp ensure the effective compliance with Nigeria\u2019s
\ninternationalanticorruption obligations by allowing those legally
\nresponsible for the allegedmisconduct the opportunity to address the
\nproblem and to account forthemselves, and by more readily identifying
\nthose who may be liable for anydamage caused.\u201d \u00a0\u201cDismissal of the 23
\nSSANUmembers breaches the letter and spirit of international
\nanticorruption treatiessuch as the UN Convention against Corruption to
\nwhich Nigeria is a state party.\u201d \u00a0The names of the dismissed SSANU
\nstaffmembers are: Mr Bankole E. A; Mr Salaam A. O; Mr Somoye O. P; Mr
\nFasunwon O. W;Mr Ojoye A. B; Dr Anjorin O S A; and Mr AdelekeH A. Others
\nare: Mr Obiriwonsi B; Mr Alayode O. T; Mr Iyeh R. O; Mrs Adebesin B.M; Mrs
\nEyiowuawi C. A; Mr Olafimihan A. O; Mrs Dasaolu C. A; Mr Sonde J. O;
\nMrsOgunromila O. O; Mrs Adeyemi O. R; Mr Alabi K. O; Dr Olaniran I. O; Dr
\nsalami O.O; Dr Ajayi A. O; Mr Oyero E. A and Miss Adeyemi K. O.
\nSIGNED AdetokunboMumuni SERAPExecutive Director 7\/12\/2016<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Socio-Economic Rights and AccountabilityProject (SERAP) has sent an urgent appeal to\u00a0Mallam Adamu Adamu Minister of Education requesting him to \u201corderan immediate, unconditional and full reinstatement of all the twenty-three SeniorStaff…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n