The decision to beef up the teachers’ strength as part of the free education program of the Imo State Government has not gone down well with a section of jobless persons in the state who have accused the Owelle Rochas Okorocha administration of nepotism and insensitivity.
As part of measures to shore up learning in public secondary schools in the state, the state ministry of education this week released names of new employees meant to teach in some of the secondary schools in the state.
Moments after the lists of the new teachers were pasted at the ministry; embattled beneficiaries of the 10,000 jobs scheme began to expresses misgivings over the action of the state government.
Speaking to Imo Trumpeta at the ministry of education complex, state secretariat, Owerri, one of the leaders of the 10,000 jobs beneficiaries, Steve Anyanwu observed that the Okorocha administration is insincere in some of its approach to issues adding that they have been shortchanged by the present administration.
Anyanwu who was joined by another lady, Serah Okere disclosed that despite promises and utterances from the Government of Okorocha that their case will be looked into, nothing has happened. According to the duo, who were employed by the immediate past administration as teachers before they were sacked, “the operators of the present administration are mere hypocrites who do what they condemn
“When Okorocha sacked us during his maiden broadcast, we protested, he said that we were only suspended and a committee will look into the matter to verify the genuineness of our employment. At the end of the exercise, lists of name were released as those genuinely employed. A year after, nothing has happened. We are still wallowing in abject poverty and squalor without government looking at our side. What we heard now was that names have been pasted as teachers employed by the present government. We are surprised when and where they placed the advertorials for employment? Does that mean we have been abandoned to our fate? Miss Okere added.
In his comments, Anyanwu said that the state government in contrast to the process employed by the past administration to recruit teachers in the 10,000 job scheme, interviews were not conducted what took place was selection as names of those who were successful were only relations, friends and those with high power links with the power that be in state government. Anyanwu further observed that the names of those employed did not reflect the principle of federal character with some local governments producing more names than others in the new list.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the former beneficiaries is meeting to review the new development. Our reporter was told that the 10,000 job beneficiaries are considering a fresh street march to protest their continued neglect by Owelle Rochas Okorocha government.
