The Nigerian Union of Journalists, Warri Correspondents Chapel has commiserated with the Delta State Chapter of Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT as well as the state chapter of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools over the death of four of their members.
In a statement signed by Chairman of the chapel, Mr. Akpokona Omafuaire and its Secretary, Mr. Joe Ogbodu and obtained by HardReporters, took a swipe at the state governor, Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa over the uncivilised and labour unfriendly manner the governor handled the teachers two weeks strike.
The chapel therefore called on Okowa led government to wake up to its responsibility and stop passing buck when the responsibility to take care of citizens’ welfare actually stopped at the state governor’s deck adding that if the state government had not foreclosed the immediate negotiation with the protesting teachers, the death would possibly not have occurred painfully the way it did.
“The Union received with rude shock the tragic death of the three Secondary School Principals and one Vice Principal who lost their lives in a ghastly motor accident on Friday on their way to honour invitation by Honourable Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Chinedu Ebie in Kwale geared toward resolving the industrial action by the NUT.
“The threat position taken by the government was an awkward and outdated manner of resolving labour dispute by a government which purport to give prosperity to all Deltans.” the union stated.
While expressing deep condolences to the teachers’ families, NUT, ANCOPSS, and students of schools where the deceased had served before their untimely death, the Union boldly made it clear that the state government was callous in handling the issues of payment of salaries and arrears of the workers which eventually led to this avoidable death.