The Copperbelt University Joint Stakeholders Unions have resolved not to release the 2018 Sessional results until the Ministry of Higher Education receives their submissions on the need to oust their Vice-Chancellor Naison Ngoma.
The Joint Staeholder’s Unions comprise of the Copperbelt University Senior Administrative, Professional and
Technical Staff Union (CUSATSU), Copperbelt University Academics Union (CBUAU) and the Copperbelt University and Allied Workers Union (CBUAWU).
In a letter dated August 22, 2018 addressed to the Chairperson Copperbelt University Caretaker Committee and Copperbelt University Kitwe, the unions have stated that they will not release the results until the CTC submits recommendations to the Higher Education Minister.
“RE: NON RELEASE OF THE 2018 SESSIONAL RESULTS UNTIL CTC SUBMITS RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE AD HOC JOINT COMMITTEE TO THE MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION. The above refers. We wish to bring to your attention that the General meeting of the Copperbelt University Joint Stakeholder Unions held on 21st August 2018 resolved that members of staff will not release or upload the 2018 sessional results until the Copperbelt University Care Taker Committee (CTC) submits RECOMMENDATIONS to the Minister of Higher Education based on the findings of the ad hoc joint committee’s report. This has arisen due to the way your Copperbelt University Care Taker Committee (CTC) has handled the report submitted to it by the Joint Ad hoc Committee which you constituted on 4th April 2018 to investigate the allegations of incompetency and maladministration levelled against Prof. Naison Ngoma by the Copperbelt University stakeholder unionized workers,” read the letter.
“It is sad to note that your Care Taker Committee has decided to keep the recommendations and report of the Joint Ad hoc Committee as a secret for reasons best known to yourselves despite numerous attempts by the Stakeholder Unions to meet you the Chairperson and the entire CTC to get updates which have proved futile. Sir, as you are aware, you have not updated the Copperbelt University Joint Stakeholder Unions despite the request made by the unions in a letter dated 25th July 2018. In this letter we the stakeholders Unions requested you to urgently call for a meeting on Tuesday 31st July 2018 to receive the report. From the Ad – hoc joint committee in the presence of all CTC members and quickly call for a meeting to brief the joint stakeholder Copperbelt University unionized workers about the findings of the ad hoc joint committee. Further, on 1st August 2018 we the Stakeholder Union Executives further requested that CTC meets us on Thursday 2nd August 2018 immediately after the scheduled CTC meeting. This was in the spirit of interaction and to clarify issues that lead to industrial disharmony if not adequately addressed. It was and is our firm understanding and which you are very aware of that the decision by your CTC to constitute a Joint Ad hoc Committee was an indication that the Care Taker Committee had studied the grievances brought before it by us the three Unions and weighed these against section 7 and 8 of part 1
of the Third Schedule of the Higher Education Act No. 4 of 2013.”
The unions have stated that no board of examiners will sit until what is lawful is done.
“To this effect and for avoidance of doubt, if your Care Taker Committee does not forward recommendations of the ad hoc joint committee’s report to the Minister of Higher Education and subsequently the findings are not made known to us the Copperbelt University Stakeholder Unions, the ongoing 2018 Sessional Examination results shall not be released. Consequently, no Board of Examiners will take place until you do what is lawful. The Deans, Directors and Heads of Departments in all the Schools have been copied and should take this as the Unions official position and should not victimise our members for NOT releasing or uploading the 2018 sessional results,” read the letter.
“It is also worth noting that, as CBU Stakeholder Unions, we still maintain our vote of no confidence passed against the Vice Chancellor Prof. Naison Ngoma for his incompetence and maladministration. We look forward to your cooperation into this matter of utmost urgency in the best interest of the
Copperbelt University which we hold so dearly and we guard so jealously, the nation and for industrial harmony to prevail. We look forward to your quick action to this matter of utmost urgency in the best interest of the Copperbelt University, the nation and industrial harmony.”