The dispute over the proposed concession of King’s College, Lagos, has deepened as unions under the Joint Workers Council of the Federal Ministry of Education rejected the Trade Union Congress (TUC) suspension of industrial action and demanded that the arrangement be reversed.
The Joint Council Chairman, Abraham Onuche, said during a protest at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday September 15, that the unions did not recognise the suspension because, according to him, TUC was not directly involved in their negotiations. He said workers had been protesting for three days and insisted that the government must consult them before proceeding with the concession.
The unions also raised concerns about the impact of the arrangement on teachers and other workers, as well as its possible implications for other Federal Unity Colleges. Onuche warned that allowing King’s College to be concessioned could set a precedent for similar arrangements involving other public schools. He said the protest would continue until the decision was reversed and meaningful consultations held.
Meanwhile, in Lagos, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) alleged that members of the King’s College Old Boys Association (KCOBA), accompanied by police officers, entered the school amid the protest and that some workers were attacked. The allegations had not been independently verified as of the time of the report, while the union called for an investigation and protection of staff, students and other stakeholders.
The Federal Government has maintained that King’s College is neither being sold nor privatised. Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the government would retain legal ownership, while KCOBA would finance the rehabilitation and modernisation of the institution and operate and maintain it under the proposed public-private partnership. He also assured workers that no staff member would be dismissed over the arrangement, as the government continues discussions with stakeholders.
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