By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe chapter, has called for the immediate removal of the institution’s Governing Council Chairman, Dr Gaza Lazarus, over alleged misconduct, abuse of power, and actions they claim threaten the peace and stability of the college.
In a petition addressed to the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, and copied to key education stakeholders, including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), and COEASU’s National President, the union accused Dr. Lazarus of “destructive conduct” that undermines the institution’s harmony.
The letter, signed by the union’s Chairman, Dr. Ishaq Ahmed Mohamed, and Secretary, Nathan Joshua Tomtsu, expressed “profound concern” over the council chairman’s recent actions.
“His behaviour and directives are posing a serious threat to the peace, harmony, and smooth functioning of the College,” the petition read. “We are requesting your timely intervention to prevent further escalation and ensure stability within the institution.”
Among the allegations, COEASU faulted Dr. Lazarus for unilaterally altering staff promotion dates from October to January, in violation of the college’s conditions of service. The union said the move created “prolonged uncertainty and undue stress” for staff, despite repeated letters and reminders to the chairman.
“The extended waiting time for their promotions has placed undue stress on the staff, leading to widespread dissatisfaction and unease,” the union stated.
The petition also accused Dr. Lazarus of issuing a “threatening letter” to the Provost, the most senior officer of the college, titled “Observations after a College Council Meeting.” According to COEASU, the issues raised in the letter were never discussed during the meeting, making the correspondence “intimidating and unethical.”
“Such actions threaten the long-standing industrial harmony we have maintained and could lead to unnecessary tension and conflict within the institution,” the petition warned.
Further, the union alleged that the chairman had directly contacted staff, issuing threats of consequences if they failed to comply with his directives. They also refuted his claim that consultancy data had gone unaudited for a long time, insisting that his statement was “false and misleading.”
COEASU also criticized what it described as “inappropriate interference” in the college’s Tender Board activities, accusing Dr. Lazarus of usurping administrative functions and “assuming the role of the Chief Executive of the College.”
Another point of dispute was the scheduling of council meetings. The union said while members agreed to reconvene in October after the inaugural meeting, the chairman unilaterally directed another meeting in September, a move they argue violated ethical guidelines and imposed financial strain on the institution.
“As a Union, we cannot accept the arbitrary scheduling of meetings that neither benefit the welfare of our staff nor contribute meaningfully to the development of the College,” the petition read.
Concluding their demands, COEASU declared that Dr. Lazarus had “clearly shown that he lacks the administrative knowledge to govern the affairs of the College” and urged the Minister to intervene.
“We hereby call for his immediate removal,” the union insisted. “Given these concerns, we urge your office to intervene and restore normalcy to the College. We seek your support in maintaining the peace and stability we have long enjoyed and in safeguarding the College’s limited financial resources from unnecessary expenditures.”
