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| Gov.Rochas of Imo state |
Umuagwo in Ohaji/Egbema LGA.
the anxiety was in line with the directive of the Governor Owelle
Rochas Okorocha, asking the school management to down size the work
force, if it hopes to enjoy the monthly subvention of 140 million. The
reluctance of the Rector, Rev. Fr. Wence Madu to comply with the
directive of the Governor to sack over 30% of the staff then forced
the Governor to institute a visitation and staff audit panel for the
institution.
According to our source, Madu's resentment of Governors order was to
save the over 300 workers he employed as casual staff.
Recently the staff audit and visitation panel released their report
with recommendations that over three hundred members of the academic
and non academic staff be relieved of their appointment with immediate
effect and that all those affected including those on grade level 14
who refuse to disengage voluntarily will be forced to accept only a
maximum salary of N50, 00 monthly, and will not receive their gratuity
after retirement.
The panel was of the view that dismissing the staff could jeopardize
their chances of securing alternative employment in either the private
or public services hence they were given the option of voluntary
resignation.
According to the panel's recommendations, only those who accept to
resign voluntarily will be entitled to retirement benefits or gratuity
entitlements while those who prefer to stay on the jobs will have such
entitlements denied them when eventually they retire at the end of
their 30 years of service or attaining the mandatory age of 60.
Imo Polytechnic sources reveal that the Governor had to withdraw the
about N140 million monthly subvention usually released to the
Polytechnic monthly in the event the affected staff do not adhere the
new directive to voluntarily withdraw their services.
Besides, our source discovered that the Governor has already reduced
the subvention, drastically while at the same time asking the Rector
to seek for and explore alternative avenues to augment the balance for
the wage bill from Internal Revenue and admission screening and
applications fees.
At the moment, many staff of Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo,
intimidated by the threat and palpable fear of losing their jobs, were
seen writing and submitting their termination letters in compliance
with the directive to forestall losing their entitlements at last.
According to our sources, all those who joined the institution as
junior staff with First School Leaving Certificates (FSLC) as entry
qualification but who later enrolled into inservice training where
they obtained either Degrees or Diplomas and upon conversion rose to
the director grade on level 14 and others who have a minimum of 3
queries in their personnel files or service records.