TUC urges Wike to recall sacked 344 lecturers

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has asked the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, to recall the sacked 344 lecturers of the State Polytechnic, Bori who were employed in September 2014 by his predecessor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.

Nyesom Wike

The organisation also criticised the disbandment of the Rivers State Road Traffic Management Authority, arguing that it was against the interest of justice and fair play.

“Disengaging 344 lecturers and other personnel in one fell swoop without sparing a thought about what would become of them and their dependants is very improper. It is our view that the governor should have a rethink and reverse that move,” TUC pleaded.

The TUC in a statement issued on Sunday by its President, Bala Kaigama, and Secretary General, Musa Lawal, argued that such an action would not be in tandem with what the nation in general and Rivers State in particular needed at the moment.

The organisation also expressed shock and disappointment at the news of the sack, especially because of the grave consequences it would have on the affected workers, their defendants and the society.

While linking Wike’s actions to the likely fallout of the political acrimony that traversed the period of the recent elections in the state, TUC opined that all such considerations ought to have gone with that period, adding, “right now, good governance should be the governor’s priority.”

TUC said, “If the reported cases of the mass sack of 344 lecturers and others employed at the Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori since September 2014 by the state’s immediate past administration led by Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi and the disbandment of the Rivers State Road Traffic Management Authority (TIMA-RIV) are anything to go by, then we might be tempted to believe that the new governor of the state, Barrister Nyesom Wike, is out to play a politics of vendetta.

“Nigerians have become increasingly interested in public affairs and impatient for good governance because of years of unfulfilled promises by their leaders. They are much wiser now and can no longer be fooled and impoverished by a minute percentage of the populace.”

The labour union insisted that many of the people whose appointments were terminated by Wike probably voted for him.

“How will they explain to their friends, family members and associates that the man they so much believed in and voted for has relieved them of their jobs in spite of the fact that job creation and provision of infrastructure were among his campaign promises?,” TUC queried.

While calling on government at all levels to shun politics of bitterness, TUC observed that “government is a continuum, and any useful project embarked upon by a preceding administration should not be done away with so as not to waste taxpayers’ money that has been expended on it.”

Speaking on TIMA-RIV, whose officers were accused of constituting a nuisance, extortion, causing accidents and loss of lives of innocent persons, TUC advised that only persons found to have indulged in such acts should be dismissed.

The TUC advised Wike not to take rash decisions, if not his intentions would be misconstrued even where he ought to be commended.

TUC urges Wike to recall sacked 344 lecturers