Idahosa Moses – Benin City
Aggrieved residents of Ekpoma on Wednesday shut down Ambrose Alli University in protest over the poor administration of the school.
The protesters who were in their large numbers called on the government to as a matter of urgency sack Austin Osakue, a member of the Special Intervention Team.
The aggrieved residents who displayed different placards with various inscriptions like “Osakue must go” among many others, called on the government to find a quick solution to the problem bedeviling the Institution.
One of the protesters who never wanted his name mentioned said that the way the school is being run could cause problem in the community.
He noted that they were concerned citizens who do not want the lofty ideas of the government for the school to be misconstrued.
The protester said, “The management of the school seems to be incapable of running the institution. How could they sack or even think of sacking workers at this time?
“It has been one problem after another since this management took over and has indigenes we cannot take it any more,” the protester added.
However, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Marcus Onobun, who was at the scene of the protest, urged the protesters to remain calm, assuring that the sack of the lecturers has been reversed and voided by the state government.
He said, “The sack of the staff is null and void. I am also using this opportunity to tell Ekpoma people, Esan people and Edo people that the sack of the staff is null and void.
“And his Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki will engage the staff of Ambrose Alli University in discussions where the facts will be put on the table.
“I want to tell you that all we did was done in good faith to help revitalise the university.
We handed over to this management so that the mess in the institution will be cleared.
“For those who have received sack letters and those who are on the list, they should put their minds at rest. The government has said the sack is null and void. I am also here to say so too,” he said.
When contacted, Osakue did not take his calls and didn’t reply to the message sent to him by our reporter.
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