The fate of 45 staff of Delta state college of education, Agbor, who were sacked a few months ago is hanging in the balance. While the termination of employment is generating ripples in the state following the manner of dismissal, authorities concerned are pointing accusing fingers at each other, with an attempt to pull out and save their face from the unfolding embarrassment.
Jude Sinebe, the commissioner for higher education, having a handshake with Governor Okowa
We learnt that the 45 staff were employed by Sam Obi, a former acting
governor, in 2011. That was when the court threw Emmanuel Uduaghan, a former governor, of the out of office following the case instituted against him by Great Ovedje Ogboru, the DPP governorship candidate after the 2007 general elections. Then, Sam Obi served as acting governor for three months. It was, however, gathered that the employment was meant for only 55 people as approved by the acting governor. But the college went ahead and employed 100 people.
But rather than approve only the 55, the state government approved the 100 employed by the college and the appointment was regularized six months after letters were issued to the 100 persons.
Also, two years after, the employment was confirmed making them full time staff of the Delta state government. This was after Emmanuel Uduaghan had recovered his mandate and returned to government house as the governor of the state.
Investigation also showed that the 100 staff participated in the general biometric verification exercise that was embarked upon by the state to ascertain the genuineness of staff in the state payroll. The staff were confirmed in September 2013 by Uduaghan’s government. But immediately after the confirmation, the state government began to complain of increased wage bill and the need to downsize staff in the state payroll.
Former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (left) confirmed the appointment made by acting Governor Sam Obi (right) in 2011
It was thereafter discovered that the college wage bill was high and the government compelled the institution to downsize. That was the beginning of the travail of the 45 who had served the college since 2011. It was gathered that the management thereafter selected people who were recommended by senior politicians, high-ranking traditional rulers, head of service, secretary to the state government, the governor and his wife and forwarded to the governor for consideration for dismissal.
But from investigation, it was learnt that the selected names were sent apparently to compel government to send them back considering the caliber of persons who recommended them for employment, but that could not to be. A source in the college told Newsmen:
“Obviously these people should not have been touched. The management did the selection on the belief that when government sees the names of those who recommended them, they will say return them because of the high profile persons involved. The community that has the school, Alihame, about 15 of them were affected.”
One of the affected persons who would not his name in print said:
"After that we noticed that our pay slip had changed, it was no more coming from Asaba, but from the internally generated revenue of the institution. We asked the provost what was happening he quickly called a meeting that he was sorry and apologized that it was just a little mistake from the Auditor General’s office and that the error would be corrected. He said we would be getting our salaries and promotions as usual so no problems. The salary was coming from the IGR like that for about eight months.
“We were wondering, what was happening, nobody told us anything. We never knew that the provost was buying time to finish his tenure and leave us to our fate. As soon as he left office, another provost entered. The new provost then told us the truth saying our names have been removed from Delta state payroll. We are no longer in the system. She now said we should use our connection to fight and get our jobs back. That was when it now dawned on us that we have been sacked.”
But between 2013 and 2014, the former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan gave directive for the institution to employ new persons into the college. The hope of the sacked workers rose but that was later to be dashed. It was learnt that rather than re-instate the sacked workers, the management of the institution employed fresh persons into the college. The new employees, We learnt, have been confirmed as the full-time staff of the institution.
Governor Okowa of Delta state
Thereafter the then acting provost, Josephine Okonyeme, was said to have told them that she could no longer pay them with internally generated revenue and thereafter stopped the payment of any stipend to them.
“That’s how they stopped paying us from IGR for two years and we were told to use our connections to secure our jobs back. One of us called the former governor’s wife, Roli Nere Uduaghan, and she said we should not worry. This was at the twilight of former governor Uduaghan leaving office. The former governor actually wanted to settle everybody before leaving office. This second approval was done on May 15, 2015," one of the sacked workers said.
On May 29, 2015, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa came in as the new governor of the state. His ascendance to the office of the governor, it was learnt, brought joy to them with the belief that Okowa is from the area and would not hesitate to do the needful.
But, to the pain of the workers, Okowa made a shocking announcement. All workers employed three months to his inauguration must go for revalidation and the 45 again followed the revalidation process.
“But when there was another delay after the revalidation, we were also told that when they appoint a substantive provost and council members, the problems will be resolved, we waited since then till now no salary. One woman who lost her children and husband to Boko Haram in the North, was with us. She collected a letter from the presidency to get work in Agbor. She was also removed from the payroll. As I am talking to you now, she has lost her sight because the bombs affected her.
“One person among us has died. The other one had hypertension. He is a labourer, clearing flower in the school, a snake bit him, he could not treat himself, they had to amputate his hand. As I am talking to you now, it is my wife that is taking care of me. We have been making efforts to see Okowa to settle this matter. Through Obi Efeizomor’s daughter-in-law, we had tried but Okowa said he would do something about it.”
Again, as soon as the new provost, Jacob Ukadike, was appointed, the group again met him and he gave them his word, assuring that the 45 of them would be taking back into the system. According to group under the aegis of Concerned 45 Sacked Workers from College of Education Agbor, the provost told them that any approval that comes to the school, the 45 will be employed.
But while the waiting continued, the school was alleged to have employed 50 contract staff, 30 senior staff with N30,000 each and 20 junior staff with between N20,000 and N18,000 monthly. This, it was gathered, angered the group who thereafter protested to the public complaints commission for intervention, a development which angered the provost and decided to send them packing finally from the campus by giving them a disengagement letter from the institution.
Another source from the college told us that when Governor Okowa visited his village, the youths booed at him because 12 of the youths from Owa Alero, his country home, were also affected in the dismissal from the college.
It was further gathered that the governor called the school authority and advised them to withdraw the disengagement letter from them and begin paying them from the institution’s internally generated revenue.
But the new provost, Jacob Ukadike, who was said to have given them disengagement letter, denied some of the allegations levelled against him by the sacked workers.
The provost told us that authorities of the institution has no constitutional right to hire and fire, noting that the college cannot do anything without directive from the state government. He said he assumed office on June 21, 2016.
He denied that the institution 50 persons and started paying them with the school’s IGR.
“What happened was that we needed some casual cleaners and labourers, we pay them N500 a day which amounted to N15,000 a month. They are not senior staff, we cannot make appointment of senior staff. Most of the information they are supplying to you is not true.
“When I came on board, I made efforts to push their case. We wrote through the governing council of the college through the ministry for higher education to the governor to see to their case. We have the letters with us to that effect. We are still making a case for them. We are telling the governor to consider the state of the people. We said it will cost governor a small amount of money to pay them monthly. We have not abandon them,” the provost said.
According to him, it is the workers that are causing trouble for themselves, noting that it was not the best going to media organisations to talk against him. He said: “How can I sack them. I will never do that. I am making a case for them despite the fact that many of them, instead of pursuing what they are after, they are attacking me, I that came less than 6 months ago.
“I was only making a case for them. I have written several letters on their behalf. Even up till now I am still writing on their behalf, appealing to government to consider them. You know as a provost, I don’t have any right to employ when government does not give me the right to absorb, appoint or whatever. It is government that can do that. It is the government that will pay them, not me.
“Like for instance I told government that these people will not cost too much to pay. I computed the salary, it’s just about N2.million on monthly basis. I appealed to government to consider them since the salary is not too much. But instead of joining me they are busy attacking me. I said it is painful that after serving for years, you are asked to go. I said no they should not go.”
The provost said he told them to remain, saying the institution would pay them from the IGR until government settles their case but many, according to him, turned down the offer, insisting that they would not accept part-time employment. He added that some accepted and are still going to work.
“I didn’t drive anyone of them. Those who accepted are still coming to their offices. I have even asked to prepare something for those coming for their Christmas. I did not drive anybody out of the school. The little I can do is to give them part time appointment until the problem is settled. That is the best I can do for now,” the provost said.
When contacted, the state commissioner for higher education, Jude Sinebe, referred us to the provost, saying it is the provost that should speak on the matter.
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