The 1,500 teachers, recently employed by the administration of Gboyega Oyetola in Osun State have begged Governor Ademola Adeleke to rescind the Executive Order nullifying their appointment.
But the state government said the teachers, who it described as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were illegally employed and cannot be reabsorbed into the state workforce
It would be recalled that the Oyetola’s administration employed 1,500 teachers after he lost the July 16, 2022 governorship election.
Adeleke, on assumption of office on 27th November, issued an Executive Order, which nullified the employment of the teachers among other appointments made by the previous administration after the election.
The affected teachers at press conference held at Correspondents’ Chapel in Osogbo on Monday made a passionate appeal to the governor saying that their appointment followed recruitment processes and procedures.
They denied being members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as being rumoured in some quarters.
Led by Mr. Owoyemi Abdulwasiu, the affected teachers urged Adeleke to exercise restraint in disengaging the teachers employed by his predecessor.
Abdulwasiu disclosed that about four of their colleagues have died as a result of depression when their appointments were terminated.
“We want to plead with the governor on one of the Executive Orders directed upon assumption of duty as the governor of Osun State on the 27th November, 2022
“The order stated the nullification of 1,500 recently employed teachers made by the immediate past administration after the July 16 governorship election.
“We would like to plead to you to reconsider this order for the good people of Osun State particularly the 1,500 newly employed Teachers for the Basic (Primary) and Post-Basic (Secondary) levels of education in Osun State.
“We have resigned our work engagements with previous employers of labour. Hence, we have no other place(s) to go other than this offer. We pray our hopes would not be dashed as we rely heavily on this job! We do not want to be subjects of ridicule and mockery to our previous employers any longer and colleagues who were not part of the recruitment process or those who ridicule us as jobless graduate.
“Your Excellency sir, save our soul and have mercy on us! We are your children and siblings. There are great numbers of dependants on us. Nullifying or terminating our appointments at such a time like this is like being thrown into the sea of hopelessness,” he said.
Reacting, Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Communications, Mr. Tunde Busari said those illegally employed by the former governor are no longer in the employment of the state government and that no amount of blackmail can change that reality.
Busari stated that Oyetola deliberately padded the state payroll with APC members to create stage for deeper financial crisis, conflict and disharmony.
He said: “Those engaging in demonstrations are APC members smuggled into the state payroll by former Governor Oyetola. By virtue of the Executive Order issued by Mr Governor, those illegally employed remain sacked and are no longer staff of the state government. No amount of demonstration and blackmail can change that reality.
“We have the details of plan by APC to deploy its disengaged members for demonstration. However, the people of Osun State are in the know of the whole situation, especially the several warnings by the PDP while in opposition. We warned against colluding with Mr Oyetola during those last days when the former governor was issuing employment letter despite the state’s inability to pay staff salaries.
“Those APC members are now playing the script. They have failed from the beginning as this administration will not bow to unjustified demands from those who collaborated to deepen Osun financial woes.”
Credit- westernpost
