The Federal College of Agriculture (FCA), Ibadan,  has reinstated its  four suspended workers, the Provost of the college, Dr Babajide Adelekan said. Adelekan announced this to newsmen on  Wednesday in Ibadan. He said  the reinstatement was with effect from Aug.11, 2016 when the workers were suspended.

Adelekan said the management of the college was directed  to reinstate the workers at  a meeting held at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Abuja,  on Feb. 24. “Four members of staff– Olufemi Jokanola, Oluade Eyitayo, Awogbade Adeyemi and Adekunle Adenike–were suspended with effect from Aug.11, 2016, on the orders of the Agriculture  Minister, Chief  Audu Ogbeh. “They were suspended through a letter from the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN).

“They were suspended for gross misconduct, recalcitrance and insubordination to constituted authority.  We later received a  letter  from the  Director, Human Resources and Development, in  the ministry dated Dec.16, 2016 to reinstate them. But we had to seek for clarifications on certain issues from both ARCN and Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Abuja,” Adelekan said.

The provost  also said  that the Management would  recommend to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to pay the  outstanding salaries of the workers. The spokesman of the suspended workers,  Mr Olufemi Jokanola,  had yet to respond to the latest development  as at the time of filing this  report. Some members of  staff of the college had embarked  on protest on Feb. 21, demanding the reinstatement of the suspended workers. They  also demanded the  removal of Adelekan,  an  audit  of the college and cessation of alleged  victimisation of some workers.