ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Many embattled casual workers of the Bayelsa State Medical University (BMU) facing disengagement threats by the institution’s management have taken their issues to the state government through the Ministry of Education.
Recall that the Vice Chancellor, BMU, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu, had clarified recently that Governor Douye Diri had had no hand in the decision by the management to disengage the 198 casual workers in the institutions.
Etebu had said that the affected workers were not properly absorbed in 2019 during the last administration of Seriake Dickson hence it violated the employment rules of the BMU.
He stated that the embattled casual workers were disengaged due to their repeated restive nature and the institution’s demand for new lecturers for its several courses to be accredited.
However, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Emelah Gentle, met with some of the embattled BMU staff in his office on Tuesday and assured them that the state government was doing all within its power to fully integrate them into the service as permanent staff.
He stated that the meeting afforded him the opportunity to have frank discussion with the aggrieved workers of the medical university concerning some issues with the institution’s authorities.
Emelah said: “The meeting afforded me an opportunity to have a heart to heart chat with the young men and women who are our sons and daughters rendering service to the state-owned institution.
“The government is concerned about their plight knowing what they face as casual staff especially with the harsh economic conditions we currently face in the country today.
“We want to assure them that as an administration that is christened ‘Prosperity Government’, we won’t be behind bringing hardship to our own people by ordering their sack.
“Rather, we are doing all within the powers of government to fully reintegrate them into the service as permanent staff.”