Sacked Rivers University Workers Plead for Reinstatement and Payment of Nine Months’ Salary

Hundreds of sacked workers from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rivers State have staged a protest at the Government House in Port Harcourt, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to reinstate them and pay the nine months’ salary they are owed.

The protesters, who were previously employed by the state government after passing an interview process, worked for nine months before their suspension.

They claim they were victims of a botched employment process marred by irregularities.

One of the protest leaders, Mr. Valentine Kponi Barinedum, stated that the workers suffered during the nine months of employment and urged the governor to consider their plight.

Their primary demands include the reinstatement of their jobs and payment of their nine months’ salary.

Governor Fubara, in response, clarified that the cancellation of the employment process was due to intolerable irregularities and promised to review and restart the process.

He assured the protesters that a new governing council is in place to oversee the process and eliminate the irregularities that previously hampered it.

Fubara explained that the management of the institution was instructed to employ only 867 staff, with 420 of them being academic staff.

However, the institution employed 1,900 persons, with only 123 being academic staff, which was deemed unacceptable.

The Governor emphasized that the main essence of a university is teaching and that qualified lecturers must be employed within the stipulated number.

He urged the protesters to organize themselves properly so that they can be easily interfaced with when the employment process recommences.

As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the sacked workers will be reinstated and paid their nine months’ salary, as well as how the new governing council will address the irregularities and ensure a fair and transparent employment process.