The Edo State Government has said that the protest by workers of the defunct Edo State College of Education, Ekiadolor, is politically motivated.
The state government alleged that the protesters were sponsored by politicians bent on derailing development in the state.
The Commissioner for Education in the state, Jimoh Ijegbai, in a chat with journalists, denied the claims by the protesters, noting that not only had the arrears owed by the previous administration been cleared, but that the workers were also being paid even while they were not working.
He traced the genesis of the agitation by the workers to the policies of former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who he claimed had converted the college to Tayo Akpata University without a clear-cut direction on managing the interest of the workers.
He said, “In 2016, the then Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, announced that the College of Education, Ekiadolor, was being phased out and would then be Tayo Akpata University, Ekiadolor.
“Before then, Comrade Oshiomhole had put in a place a policy where the tertiary institutions were going to generate 35 per cent of their salaries, while government would contribute the remaining 65 per cent. At the end of that administration, the government was owing them six months salary arrears.”
The commissioner noted that the workers were asked to move to the College of Education, Igueben, adding that they refused to comply with the directive.
He said, “As at today, they are not working anywhere. The Federal Government has established a Federal College of Education (Technical) at the site of the old College of Education, Ekiadolor, which is to take off in October.
“Since the inception of this government, we have been consistent in giving the school the monthly subvention up till May 2020. In the last two weeks, government has released two months subvention to the workers to show good faith in spite of the fact that they were not working.”
“We are surprised now about the protest, which the Edo State Government believes is politically motivated. They are sponsored by politicians hellbent on derailing development in the state. This government will not be blackmailed by any group whatsoever,” he added.
