Friday, March 29, 2024

CBU reopening hangs in the balance

Share

CBU Jambo Drive Campu
CBU Jambo Drive Campu

The announced reopening of the Copperbelt University on 25th March 2018 remains in doubt after unionised workers vowed to not report for work.

The workers are demanding the sacking of Vice Chancellor Prof. Nason Ngoma accusing him of incompetence.

On Thursday, the Copperbelt University Senate announced that the university will re-open on 25th March 2018.

But CBU University Academics Executive Committee President Derrick Ntalasha has disclosed that despite pending issues affecting members of staff and lecturers not addressed, the Senate has resolved that the institution will go ahead and re-open on March 25th.

Mr. Ntalasha has however indicated that the three university unions namely, Copperbelt University and allied workers union, Copperbelt University Senior Administrative and Technical Staff Union and Copperbelt University academics union have vowed not to report for work if their issues are not addressed before the re-opening date.

He said it is regrettable that the Senate is rushing to reopen the institution without resolving the key issue of Prof. Ngoma’s stay at the office.

On 5 January 2018, a statement was issued by Copperbelt University Registrar Helen Mukumba saying the University was postponing all scheduled examinations to a date to be announced.

“In this regard, all students currently accommodated in the students’ hostels at all campuses should vacate the hostels with immediate effect. Examinations that were scheduled to be written during this period have been postponed and new dates will be communicated,” she had said.

Late last year, Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya invoked provisions of the country’s Public Health Act and issued a Statutory Instrument 79 which outlawed public gatherings in cholera-affected areas.

4 COMMENTS

  1. It boggles my mind why Mr Ngoma has not voluntarily relinquished the position despite the numerous scandals he’s been involved in. Do we even have a government? Why are they not acting? Why are they always siding with Mr Ngoma? My Advice to Mr Ngoma: when the people you lead don’t want you, why cling on, have some principles and leave, you will gain more respect that way. It’s not like you will be jobless after leaving, you will still take up your academic position as a Lecturer. Former UNZA VCs Mutale Chanda & Rob Serppel after leaving their posts went back to their previous academic positions. There is life after management positions.

  2. Only the appointing authority can remove Prof Nason Ngoma. Those lecturers against the prof should just remain quiet and don’t cause chaos at ZIT

  3. What Union leaders don’t understand is that it’s not part of their mandate to influence who should be VC and for how long. If they managed to bully others before, they won’t have it their way this time around. Being stubborn won’t take them anywhere. There’s a lot of indiscipline amongst CBU staff and Naison has been mandated to sort this one out

  4. CBU has 2 major resources, the first is the infrastructure and the 2nd is the human resource. Over time the infrastructure hasn’t received significant attention, its collapse will affect the other. Naison has been trying to address the issue of infrastructure which has caused the human resource discomfort. Is it alright to receive lectures in leaking rooms? Or to be asked to bring your own chair to the library? These problems haven’t just started. If nothing is done, CBU is headed for a lengthy closure and all those chaps making noise will be out of jobs. So reflect deeply before you do anything. Naison is not the problem, besides he won’t be there forever

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading