The sack of about two hundred teachers of Akwa Ibom origin from the employ of Cross Rivers state government following dispute over the 76 oil wells ceded to Akwa Ibom from Cross River has prompted protests from the aggrieved teachers over the failure of the Akwa Ibom state government to re-absorb them.
The protesting teachers, bearing placards, marched to the Akwa Ibom state government house, then later to the stadium where Governor Godswill Akpabio was attending the independence day celebrations.
Elijah James Ekanem, who led the protest told journalists the issue has been tabled before the Akwa Ibom government after the 2006 sack, but the teachers have gotten no respite so far.
He also said that complaints have also been lodged with the Akwa Ibom state deputy governor, Valerie Ebe, head of service, Cecilia Udoessien and the State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), with no redress forthcoming.
Ekanem said: “They have interviewed us for more than 20 times on this matter and each time, they will tell us that the case was on the governor’s table, that we should go and wait for directives. We have been waiting since 2006 and many of us have died while waiting for the government to make good its promise to absorb us.”
