Posted by Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt on
In order to avoid a break-down of law and order, and to prevent hoodlums from hijacking it, the Rivers State Government has prevailed on female primary school teachers in the state not to protest nude.
In order to avoid a break-down of law and order, and to prevent hoodlums from hijacking it, the Rivers State Government has prevailed on female primary school teachers in the state not to protest nude.
A peace meeting, which would involve the Administrator/Permanent Secretary of the state's Primary Education Board, Mr. Awajiokinor Mfiangh, the state wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, representatives of the aggrieved female teachers and officials of the state's Ministry of Education, has also been fixed for an undisclosed date.
The female teachers, according to their coordinator, feel that by protesting naked, with placards in their hands, the whole world will immediately know about their plight, with prompt attention given to their problems.
A senior state government official told our correspondent in Port Harcourt on Thursday, that the state Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, would have been so embarrassed if the female teachers had gone ahead with their planned protest this week.
The governor's aide said moving round the state capital with the effigy and mock coffin of Mfiangh, would have been the most unfortunate thing to do by the teachers.
Even as he was not defending the administrator, who was accused of highhandedness, poor leadership ability, ineptitude and lack of concern for the teachers' plight, the aide said peace must be given a chance, in order to move forward.
The state's Commissioner for Education, Prof. Thompson Okujiagu, was not in the office when our correspondent got there on Thursday afternoon, but a staff of the ministry, who would not want his name in print, said the issue was receiving attention.
It would be recalled that the state's wing of Nigeria Union of Teachers had earlier called on Odili, to ensure the immediate removal of the administrator, threatening to embark on a mass protest, if the removal was not promptly effected.
The PUNCH, Friday August 26, 2005