The Edo State Government has said that it is not indebted to lecturers of the defunct state-owned College of Education, Ekiadolor , who have been protesting in the last couple of days in Benin City.
The state Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Chris Osa Nehikhare, said the lecturers were only whipping up sentiments to cover up for their act of insubordination in carrying out lawful directives.
Nehikhare in a statement in Benin City explained that members of staff of the college of Education were asked to go and resume at Abudu with the closure of the institution but they rejected the offer even after earlier refusing to transfer their services to the state civil service.
The state publicity secretary noted that as a political party, “We consider this protest very serious especially as the allegations of non-payment of salary was adduced as the reason for the protest for a government that does not owe any sector salaries including pension arrears.”
“You will recall that the last APC administration led by Mr. Adams Oshiomhole established two new state universities on the same day-Tayo Akpata University of Education and Edo University of Science and Technology, Uzaiure, now known and referred to as Edo University, Iyamho.
“Adams Oshiomhole had no intention of fulfilling the establishment of Tayo Akpata University of Education while violating all budgetary, financial and accounting rules and regulations to complete his Iyamho project! It was obvious Adams Oshiomhole ‘sold a dummy’ to Edo South people and leaders.
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“We wondered how a new university was built from scratch, got accreditation and started admitting students even as Tayo Akpata University of Education with existing infrastructure without even a toilet added to the existing structures not to talk of admitting students in the Adams Oshiomhole-led administration.
“The newly ‘established’ Tayo Akpata University of Education was eventually shut down, as there was no new student admission while infrastructural improvement was carried out. As the College of Education was winding down, staff salaries were paid.”
He said that since the workers were staff of the state government, they were redeployed to the state College of Education with three campuses, but said the lecturers disobeyed the directive even after refusing to be absorbed into the state civil service.
According to him, it would have been “abnormal, irresponsible and financially reckless for the state government to pay workers that have been recalcitrant and disobeying lawful directives when their actions and decisions suggest they are no longer interested in working for the state government.”
He urged the affected staff to comply with the directive of the state government and stop embarrassing themselves in the guise of protesting.
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