Sacked 5,000 teachers beg for Akpabio’s intervention

The 5,000 Akwa Ibom teachers who were fired by Udom Emmanuel’s administration have petitioned Senate President Godswill Akpabio to intervene on their behalf.

The teachers that were fired were hired in April 2015, less than a month before Akpabio’s stint as governor of the state expired, but were fired by Emmanuel’s government in October 2016.

The affected teachers had instituted legal action against Governor Emmanuel’s administration, and for eight years they were in court seeking to be reabsorbed but without success.

It could be recalled that Emmanuel through the then Head of the State Civil Service, Mrs. Ekereobong Akpan had explained that the teachers were hurriedly employed without due process.

In a statement yesterday in Uyo the State coordinator of the sacked 5000 teachers, Comrade Edidiong Etop Udi and the secretary, comrade Ubong Akpan Obot appealed to the Senate President to come to their aid, saying they are suffering untold hardship.

The statement reads: “Your Excellency sir, recall that during your reign as the uncommon Governor of Akwa Ibom state, about 5,000 teachers were duly employed after undergoing a meticulous selection process.

“Aptitude test was conducted by Akwa Ibom State secondary education board at the University of Uyo town campus to ascertain that the applicants are fit for the teaching job.

“This is a process that lasted for more than 3years, successful applicants were finally issued with offer of appointment and appointment letters into pensionable establishment dated 1st April, 2015 in line with Chapter 2 of the Akwa Ibom State Public Service Rule (2010 edition).

“They were employed as Master/Mistress Grade II, on Salary Grade Level 08, Step 2 with a commencing salary of N369,324.48 per annum.

“It was on 30th October 2016, when the then Head of Civil Service, Mrs. Ekereobong Akpan, according to the directive of former Governor Udom Emmanuel made an announcement on the radio service of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) terminating and invalidating the appointments of the 5,000 teachers that were duly employed”.

They congratulated Akpabio over his emergence as President of the 10th Senate, stressing: “we are passionately seeking your intervention as the uncommon Senate president to intervene on the poor status of the sacked teachers who are sons and daughters of Akwa ibom state across the 31 LGAs of the state.

“Eight years down the line, the remnants of the sacked teachers are still unemployed with the attendance effects of hardship and unemployment”.