"Excercise Patience", Ikpeazu Enjoins Unlawfully Employed, Teachers

It

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has called on the 5,666 teachers unlawfully employed without government approvals and waiver by the immediate past Executive Secretary of Secondary Education Management Board to exercise patience to enable the State Government to address the issues patterning to their employment.

Dr. Ikpeazu made this call on Tuesday during a meeting with some of the teachers from Abia Central Senatorial District that were unlawfully employed without waiver at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.

He disclosed that the meeting is necessary to enable them to understand the state of things.

Describing their plight as unfortunate, Governor Ikpeazu who was represented by his Chief of Staff directed the Commissioner for Education, Dr. K.C.K Nwangwa to write to schools across the State to ascertain those in need of teachers in some special areas. He disclosed that the state government will nonetheless take resort to the list of 5,666 people whenever there is a need for teachers.

The Governor further assured them that the employment the government intends to engage in would be done systematically and across all the LGAs in the State in line with the employment guidelines of the Federal Character Commission. He stressed on the need for government officials to work within the scope of their duties in other not to embarrass the state government by their unguarded actions.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. K.C.K Nwangwa while appreciating Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for his passion, sincere love, and concern towards uplifting the education sector in the state urged school heads to inform the government of their needs in terms of teachers with core areas of specialties.

In their separate speeches, the Permanent Secretary Government House, Umuahia, Mr. Alozie Odoemelam, the  Acting Executive Secretary, SEMB, Lady Happiness Nwabaji appreciated  Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for his listening ear and his education-friendly disposition as well as for taking concrete measures in bringing a solution to the recent employment problems in the SEMB, further urged the affected teachers to be patient with the government.

In their responses, some of the affected teachers including Mr. Victor Nwadi, Mr. Eze Enyi, and Mrs. Onyenobiya Precious thanked the Governor for feeling their plights which made him invite them for a meeting regretted the actions of the former Executive Secretary of SEMB which has affected them negatively, also expressed optimism that the government decisions would favor them.

The meeting which attracted stakeholders in the education sector afforded the affected teachers the opportunity to interact with the Governor's representative.