Thanksgiving service and other celebrations often follow election victory or success of an endeavour. But last Sunday when “staff delegates” of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Imo State extraction went to their various churches for thanksgiving services, it was to thank God that they were not sacked.
Trumpeta learnt that before the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) election in the state, the state NUT chairman, Dr Cletus Okeke had submitted the names of all his staff as NLC delegates to enable him actualise his vice chairmanship position ambition at the NLC election with a threat that they would all be sacked if he failed.
Unfortunately and fortunately, Dr Okeke who had not kept good relationship with his staffers got early wind that the staff had plotted his failure, hastily directed the state secretary, Dr Reginald Anyadike, to drop all of them (his staff) as delegates.
So when eventually Dr Okeke won the vice chairmanship position in the NLC election, the staff went to their various churches to thank God, not for the victory of their Principal but for the retention of their jobs having been delisted as delegates.
A source which spoke to Trumpeta under condition of anonymity said the staffers are not happy with their Principal for many reasons including misrule, greed, late payment of salaries, poor welfare packages as well as denial of their statutory rights all of which have led to the death of some workers in succession as they could not meet their Medicare needs.
The source revealed that Dr Okeke was due to retire since last year but cunningly got an extension of service from the state government, a situation they said has made the union a toothless bulldog.
Some teachers who spoke to this newspaper are equally of the opinion that Dr Okeke who was to retire few months hence picked the NUT slot in the NLC election, a deal they described as conspiracy between him and his secretary Dr Reginald Anyadike leaving out legible candidates who still have more years of service.
Further investigation by Trumpeta revealed that Imo State teachers have not received their promotion arrears of 2012, running cost of schools for school heads for six terms, scheduling of retired primary school teachers for pension just as school heads buy school stationeries and chalks to run their schools.
It is understood that Dr Okeke is working towards securing another service extension which they believed is being piloted by Dr Anyadike but the teachers say they will fight for the image of their union without regard to selfishness.
All efforts to contact Dr Okeke failed as he is said to be out of the state even Dr Anyadike could not pick his calls on phone.
