NUT, NLC knock Amosun over exam question sacks

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have both condemned the Ogun State government for the sacking of six officials of the state Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, including a secondary school teacher, over an alleged ‘offensive’ examination question.
The bodies described the action as “too harsh, wicked and smacked of highhandedness.”
The NLC state chairman, Akeem Ambali, indicated that the union might take legal action against the government if the affected workers should come forward with the details of what really transpired.
The NLC state chairman said he was not aware of the travails of the sacked civil servants, because they did not seek the union’s assistance.
On his part, state chairman of the NUT, Dare Ilekoya said the situation described in the alleged ‘offensive’ summary passage was an issue affecting education generally in the country and no state’s name was mentioned in the article.
Ilekoya said for any state to now claim that the said summary passage referred to it left much to be desired.
He said, “The sacking of the teacher and the other civil servants, naturally I felt it was too harsh. It smacks of high-handedness. The issue in the summary passage is a national phenomenon, and there was no mention of any particular state in it.
“Even if the state had been mentioned, I believe a lesser punishment should have been applied and not outright dismissal.
“I want to appeal to all well-meaning Nigerians and citizens of the state to appeal to the governor to temper justice with mercy and give them lesser punishment.”

Read also: NUT, NLC knock Amosun over exam question sacks

Also, Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the April 11 elections, Prince Gboyega Isiaka, also condemned the action of the state government, describing it as an “act of wickedness and strange to a democratic setting.”
Isiaka in a statement issued on Thursday in Abeokuta, said “It is the continuation of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun led-administration’s anti-workers’ policies that had seen many civil servants and teachers frustrated and sent out of service.”
The PDP governorship candidate, who spoke through his spokesperson, Ifekayode Akinbode, noted that in a civilised clime, the contents in the said ‘offensive’ exam questions would be dissected to assist government in policy formulation.
He, however, advised the government to review its decision and recall the sacked officers.

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