Following the alleged refusal of the Bayelsa State Government and the Management of the Niger Delta University (NDU) to reinstate the disengaged staff of Niger Delta University who was sacked in May 2018, the said disengaged staff on Friday staged a peaceful protest at Government House, gate, Yenagoa to draw government’s attention to their plight.
The protesters numbering over 100 were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions such as ” Bayelsa government, respect court judgement, reinstate us”, We were wrongfully disengaged and we need justice”. Our children are out of school, reinstate us”, among others.
Speaking to newsmen during the protest, the leader of the protesters, Isiki Ebidoki noted that they were abruptly disengaged from the service from NDU without justifiable reason by the past administration of Seriake Dickson.
He said “The disengagement was done with impunity and absolute disregard for the rule of law.
” We have approached the Industrial Court to seek redress and we got a judgement that ordered the state government and management of NDU to reinstate us on the 1st of April, 2022 but the state government has refused to obey the court order.
He also explained that their grievances were also predicated on the fact that immediately after the wrongful termination of their services at NDU, the administration of the former governor embarked on a massive employment of fresh graduates, noting that this obviously negates the lack of funds which the state government gave as reasons for their disengagement from service.
According to him, over eighty of them died between May 2018 and till date due to acute suffering experienced by their families, emphasizing that the state government and the Vice Chancellor of NDU, Samuel Edoumiekumo merely sacked them in order to give room for them to employ their families and associates.
The leader of the disengaged staff revealed that despite the re-verification exercise for the disengaged staff after the court judgement, the right sizing committee report on tertiary institutions failed.
He called on the state government and management of NDU to reinstate them without further delay to ameliorate the sufferings of the affected families.
Responding to the protesters on behalf of the state Governor, Douye Diri, the Commissioner for Education, Gentle Emelah expressed gratitude to them for peacefully conducting themselves as they press home their demands.
He however promised them that he would take the matter to the state Governor, Douye Diri, assuring them that the governor would look into the matter adding that it would resolved as soon as possible.
