South Sudan's English Daily Newspaper
"We Dare where others fear"
By Simon Deng
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Bahr El Ghazal Prof. Erneo Bernardo Ochi, on Wednesday dissolved the academic staff association and trade union of the university after lecturers went on strike over unpaid allowances.
This comes after lecturers refused to supervise examinations due to outstanding allowances for meals, marking incentives for the 2024 second semester examination and salaries of March for newly recruited staff.
“In compliance with article 50 (1) (a) of the Higher Education Act, 2012, I prof. Dr. Erneo Bernardo Ochi, Vice Chancellor do hereby revoke the academic staff association and trade union of the University of Bahr el Ghazal with effect from 23 April, 2025,” Ochi said in a statement.
Ochi said his administration had granted South Sudanese nationals right to form associations and trade unions in compliance with the stipulated functions and constitutional obligation.
He revealed that Article 25 (1) (2) of the Transitional Constitution, 2011 and amended 2023 warrants the rights of South Sudanese nationals to form associations and trade unions in their territorial jurisdiction.
“Unfortunately, the performance and operationalization of the functions and objectives of these associations and trade unions violate the rights of students to sit their supplementary and substitute examinations as enshrined in article 29 (1) (2) of the 2011 constitution,” said Ochi.
Joseph Lual Dario, chairperson of the academic staff association, on Thursday told The Dawn that the administration has dismissed 5 members of the academic staff association over the strike.
Dario said those dismissed include the chairpersons of the academic staff association and trade union, three deans of the colleges of agriculture, education and economic and social studies.
