By; Uzoma Obika.
Wailing and sorrow is the lot of workers of the two state owned tertiary institutions in Imo State as the state government orders management of the Imo State University, Owerri and Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo to implement the controversial staff audit report that recommended sack of workers.
Indications that the staffers of the two institutions would be used as the “sacrificial lamb” for the planned take – off of undergraduate free education in the state came to the fore when the representative of the Governor and Commissioner for Education, Prof Adaobi Obasi disclosed government’s position on the recently concluded audit report.
Imo Trumpeta was told that the Education Commissioner had at the meeting attended by the management of the affected institutions allegedly directed them to compile names of the affected staff earmarked for mass sack and retirement for implantation. According to her, the government has approved the audit report for implementation adding that their entitlements with arrears of salaries be computerized for payment. Also part of the policy to be implemented is the forceful retirement of both the tutorial and non – tutorial staffers f of the two institutions who are due for retirement within the next two and three years.
Our correspondent further learnt that the lists of all the affected staff have been made public as government has directed the full implementation of the staff audit report with immediate effect.
It would be recalled that at the birth of the Okorocha regime and in line with the commercialization agenda of the Rescue Mission, the state government nursed the idea of down sizing the number of workers in the affected schools with a view to cutting cost on staff salaries and wages. The mass sack threat gained momentum when government toyed with the policy of giving affected schools some take off grant to enable them be independent and operate without government.
The state government went further to indicate that instead of normal monthly subvention, it would now pay each of the students, in IMSU (N100,000), Imo Poly (N70,000) which would cater for their school fees while the tertiary institutions will no longer rely on the state treasury for monthly operational cost. When stakeholders of the two schools especially IMSU ASUU expressed indifference to the policy forcing Governor Okorocha to devise another means to save cost in running the two institutions. The new method was introduction of staff audit where each staff was thoroughly scrutinized. Date of birth and other necessary items were put under scrutiny leading some of the committee members to some churches to verify the baptismal certificates of the staffers.
Despite the internal staff audit, government set up another screening committee that shortlist names to be sacked and placed others for compulsory retirement.
The approval for implementation is generating heat as workers of the affected institutions are tension – soaked. When our reporters visited IMSU, workers were seen discussing in hushed tones about the development even as the various managements have concluded plans to paste the lists of the affected staff for public consumption while IMSU list is expected to be published any moment from now, tears have taken over Imopoly with the management making public the list. Even as the Rector Rev Fr (Dr) Wence Madu and the Registrar, Mrs. Njemanze was nowhere near the school premises yesterday, a strong list of those sacked were made public.
According to a letter date 5 Sept, 2012 and directed to all the affected staff on the retirement issue, the Acting Registrar, Mrs. Sussan Njemanze stated that based on Governors approval, the management is carrying out the retirement directive.
Among the 87 man list forced to leave the services of Imopoly are the Former Rector, Dr E. Ogu, head of departments Mr. A.O Nzeribe, and several others.
Meanwhile, the community hosting IMOPOLY, Umuagwo, has asked government to apply caution in executing the mass sack. A community leader in Umuagwo, (names withheld) said that the Polytechnic land is the only means of livelihood to the people and it would amount to disservice for a people – oriented government to sack people at will and throw them into hunger in their land.
