Gov. Otti Distances Self From Speculated Special Preference on Disengaged 5,666 Teachers Under Ikpeazu’s Administration, Urges Qualified Ones, Others

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has distance himself from the directive circulating on social media stating special preference for 5,666 teachers who were disengaged in 2020 by the administration of former governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

The Governor recently ordered the recruitment of over 2000 teachers into the Abia State Public Schools and statements circulated on social media calling on those disengaged by previous administration to apply citing special preference.

Governor Otti said he is not aware of such special preference for the disengaged teachers but if they are qualified, they can apply based on the given criteria given by the ministry of education.

In his words: “If there are any of them that are qualified based on the criteria we set out, they are allowed to apply.” Governor Otti said.

Governor Otti gave his position while responding to questions during the monthly media parley held on Friday at government house, Umuahia.

The governor also made it clear that he will not shoulder the responsibility of the disengaged 5,666 teachers.

“I will not take responsibility for their disengagement, I can only take responsibility for what I did, tell them to apply if they are qualified.” Governor Otti said.

BACKGROUND

Former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu sacked a total of 5,666 public secondary school teachers employed between 2018 and 2020 across Abia state.

The sad news of the affected teachers was conveyed in a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to the governor, Dr Anthony Agbazuere.

He said that Governor Ikpeazu sealed the uncertain fate of the teachers after receiving the report of the committee set up to investigate “employments carried out at the Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB) without waiver”.

The then Executive Secretary of SEMB, Mr. Lawrence Ogbonnaya, who presided over “the supposed employment” was also sacked as the governor ordered his compulsory retirement.

The embattled SEMB boss went on immediate suspension when the bubble burst on the said unauthorized employment bazaar he initiated.

A total of 5,853 teachers were given jobs during the employment exercise spanning a period of three years. But after going through the list of the newly recruited teachers the panel discovered that only 187 were employed through a waiver from Governor Ikpeazu.

He therefore directed that the illegally recruited 5,666 should be thrown out of the classrooms, while the 187 lucky ones said to have been lawfully employed, should be retained in the school system.