The member who represents Ideato – South State Constituency at the
State House of Assembly, Hon. Ikechukwu Amuka has been appointed the
Chief whip of the Imo State House of Assembly following the
resignation of Hon. Ugonna Ozuruigbo (OZB) of Nwangele.
Hon. Amuka’s appointment as the new Chief Whip was announced at
plenary by the speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu. He has
resumed duties with the clerk of the House directed to adjust his
records to reflect the change. Meanwhile, the house has passed a
resolution urging the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education
Board (SUBEB) to convert the appointment of teachers in the State from
“Non – Tutorial Staff” to “Tutorial Staff” so as to be properly placed
to enable them earn their requisite remuneration
Hon. Victor Ndunagu of Mbaitoli State Constituency who sponsored the
motion argued that, it is not only demoralizing and counter productive
but, a great injustice to employ qualified teaches as “Non – Tutorial”
and thereafter post them to classrooms to teach without commensurate
remuneration, stressing that, based on their experience, justice
demands that they should be converted to tutorial staff to give them
sense of belonging as well as bring out the best in them.
Supporters of the motion contended that, the people concerned had
shown great humility and loyalty by accepting such a situation where
their potentials were under-utilized despite their qualification and
pointed out that, it is only fair that they be accorded all the rights
and privileges that accompany the nature of the job they were doing
and blamed the civil service system for such ugly situation.
However, the motion did not scale through without stiff opposition
from the likes of Hon. Emeka Nwofor of Ngor-Okpala State Constituency
who argued that, the entry behaviour of the so called non – tutorial
staff was fraudulent, stressing that, teaching goes with passion and
that whoever hides his or her education qualification and picks job as
a non – educationist has no passion for teaching.
He argued that, teaching is not what one gets from the profession but,
what he or she becomes of it, pointing out that, if the people
concerned should be converted, they should be properly re-trained, and
informed that, past administration used employment to shore up their
electoral fortunes and the present administration should not be made
to bear the brunt of their illegality.
Consequent upon the interest and controversy generated by the motion,
the speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu setup a committee headed by
Hon. Victor Ndunagu to look into the possibility of drafting a bill to
be passed by the State House of Assembly to help certify and regulate
the employment of teachers in the State with the mandate to organize
public hearing as well as call for memoranda from the public,
especially, from the stakeholders on the way forward.
He disclosed that, the committee would be the most important committee
setup by the House in view of the fact that education forms the
fulcrum of the present administration and touches every family as well
as deals with the future of Imo children and expressed optimism that
the members would give the committee their best. Other members of the
committee are; Hons Eudora Igwe, Luke Chukwu, Mike Ndubuaku, Stan Dara
and Acho Ihim as well as Emeka Nwofor, Adaku Ihuoma and Obioma
Ekennia.
