THE Governing Council of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, has relieved 962 staff members of the university of their appointments as part of the ongoing restructuring in the institution.

This was disclosed by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Chief Alex Onabanjo, while addressing the press at the NUJ Press Centre, Abeokuta, on Wednesday, saying that the development was the completion of the restructuring exercise started at the university in April.

The Pro-Chancellor, whose address was read by a member of the council, Mr. Sina Kawonise, said that seven professors, five readers, nine senior lecturers/ senior research fellows, 27 lecturers I, 24 lecturers II, 19 assistant lecturers and three graduate assistants were asked to go.

Kawonise said that 459 academic staff were retained by the council, saying “with a projection of 61 additional academic staff to be employed, thereby bringing the number of academic staff in the Humanities to 235 and 285 in the Sciences, while 733 non-teaching staff were retained.”

Kawonise stated that the step taken by the council became necessary because of the prevailing circumstances in the school, saying that the over-bloated workforce of the institution had grossly contravened the requirements of the National Universities Commission (NUC) in staff recruitment, adding that the “right-sizing” carried out in the school would put things in proper shape.

He said: “The present Governing Council and the new management of OOU met a university that was almost bankrupt. The university could no longer meet its obligations to staff, contractors and other creditors.

“We met a total debt profile of N1.9 billion, much of which was incurred to augment the subvention given by the government for staff salaries.

“In doing this, the council was guided by the National Universities Commission’s Regulations on Students-Staff ratio, Academic Staff Mix and Academic Staff-Non-Teaching Staff Mix Ratio.

“A total of 868 non-teaching staff have been asked to seek employment opportunities elsewhere. In like manner, academic departments were reduced from 68 to 52, faculties from 13 to eight, while the existing three colleges are maintained.”

Kawonise stated further that those affected would be given three months salary in lieu of the termination of their appointments.

He said: “It is important to state that the Governing Council of the university took these painful decisions because it could not find a more feasible alternative. And we put it on record that those disengaged were not selected because of any wrongdoing but simply because the university could no longer afford to keep them.”

U 4got 2 put d source of dis ur news, so hw do u want us 2 blv

Sorry it was in today nigeria newspaper today nigeria tribune that there is a mass sack in OOU. it was unfortunate for the affected lectural but all the same they have to go,  the lectural are too many. It is part of the ongoing structre in dis school.