IS ADUM AWARE OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF EBONYI PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ STRIKE?
By Nkama Iro
Recent developments in Ebonyi State especially the current strike of primary school teachers in seven LGA and the travails of local government staff of Ebonyi State since December, 2024 call for concern. This is true given that the present administration of Governor Francis Nwifuru prides itself as committed to solving the needs of the ordinary people. This explains its adoption of the moniker of Ebonyi Peoples Charter of Needs administration.
In every society or state, the greatest need of the ordinary masses is to have means of livelihood. This was the opportunity the respective staff of Ebonyi local government system as well as primary school teachers got through their respective employments at the times they were employed. They continued to do their jobs and to live on their salaries and wages. However, it is disheartening that since December 2024 when Chief Mathias Adum, a man who has continued to serve as commissioner in different regimes since 29 years ago, took over the management of the local government sector in Ebonyi State, primary school teachers and local government staff have not been paid their salaries.
For unclear reasons, the procedures for the normal periodic staff verification or screening for primary school teachers and local government staff in Ebonyi State was changed and in its place, an outmoded analogue procedure was put in place, subjecting teachers and local government workers to tortuous and excruciating screening or verification procedures. This is to be expected when a man who is older than the chairman of Ebonyi State Council of Elders, a man who is so digitally-challenged that he is unable to save a contact in his telephone or send a WhatsApp message is placed in charge of sensitive and tech-driven office.
Investigations reveal that these unpaid primary school teachers and local government workers have passed through Adum’s analogue physical screenings or verifications for the umpteenth time sometimes both at the different council secretariats and at the JAC office, beside the Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre, Abakaliki. Often, the venues are thronged by angry men who are afraid of tomorrow, distressed and hungry pregnant women, famished nursing mothers with their babies strapped on their backs or sides like knapsacks under the heat of the sun. Many days, these screenings last till dusk.
This has been a frequent occurrence for three months running and on each of those days, Ebonyi school children roam their school premises without teachers and learning, the jobs of the council workers suffer and the state suffers loss of man hour and productivity. The affected teachers and staff have become haggard and frustrated. One of the days, these victims of Adum’s ancient system spewed out of the JAC venue of the verification to the streets of Abakaliki in a protest march. The reaction of the commissioner for Education (Primary and Secondary), Prof. Awo Nwobashi, who threatened to arrest the protesters attracted public outcry in media spaces against Ebonyi State Government. Governor Francis Nwifuru issued a time-bound directive from the alter of God in the Government House Chapel for the payment of all arrears of salaries and even Christmas bonus to the victimized teachers and local government staff.
Realities on the ground show that the payment directive of the governor of Ebonyi State was observed in breach as the teachers and local government staff are still starving. The impact of this on the morale of the teachers is a bad omen for the Ebonyi education sector. It also gives the present administration the appearance of insensitivity, while many onlookers think that Governor Nwifuru is not really in charge of his administration.
Over all, the continued non-payment of primary school and local government staff salaries for about a quarter of a year calls to question the competence of the tired acting commissioner Adum who seems to be an apostate of the Ebonyi Peoples Charter of Needs administration. The trade of blames among the trio of Prof Nwobashi, council chairmen and Chief Adum is frightening because watchers suspect that Nigeria might have happened to the funds meant for the salaries of the affected workers and teachers. The plights of the unpaid teachers and staff is a big dent which contradicts Governor Nwifuru and his administration’s avowed commitment to solving the needs of the people. Governor Nwifuru should as a matter of urgent public importance ensure that these salary arrears are paid because the teachers and staff worked for it; and even the scriptures insist that the labourer deserves his wages.
