AKSU STAFF PROTEST: A MISPLACED PRIORITY

I have read series of disjointed scripted reportage on different social media platforms applauding the staged protest by some Staff of the Akwa Ibom State University, AKSU.


While some of them are casting their frustrating blames on the Vice Chancellor of the prestigious institution, Prof. Eno Ibanga, others have virtually indulged themselves in the act of lampooning the State governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel because of their self nurtured perception which is as a result of greed and selfishness.

According to informations gathered thus far, it could be deduced that the some Staffs of the aforementioned institution have unanimously decided to ridicule themselves by staging a protest against the Government and School Management on a matter that was only conventionally agreed on.

Again, having approved the N30,000 new minimum wage structure as instructed by the Federal Government, it is entirely impossible for the State Government to still maintain the standard of other conventional preferences bestowed on them. This is so because the implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage is only but an instruction from the Federal Government, and this is not coming with an increment in the monthly allocation of the State Government. After considering the State's workforce and the present state of things, one would be left with no option than to feel for the State Government.

Before now, the least workers as the cleaners of the Akwa Ibom State University were getting above N30,000 as their monthly salary. This was so because of other preferential allowances put together by the State Government to ensure they live a comfortable life. But with the implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage, the Government must devise means where other workers of the State could be accommodated.

Even with the implementation of the new minimum wage, the State governor has not derailed in paying workers entitlements as at when due. He has not also derailed in making adequate provisions for the basic, social and infrastructural amenities in the State. So it would be  tomfoolery for a highly learned group of people as factional Staff of the Akwa Ibom State University to stage a protest against the Vice Chancellor of the school who has no hand on this.

It would have been consequential if the protest was on the ground of not compliance on the new minimum wage structure of the Federal Government, or on the ground of non-payment of their entitlements by the Government of the State. But staging a protest on the premise of non-payment of examination invigilation fees, allowances for setting examination questions and marking of same scripts amongst other insensible grounds depict mockery and the cajole of our education system by the same people that were to shine the light.

Having seen that the same protest is emanating from greed and selfishness, one would at this point state that staged protest by some Staff of the Akwa Ibom State University, AKSU is nothing but a misplaced priority.