Security Guards In Rivers Public Schools Threaten Strike Action

Security Guards in Rivers State owned Modern Primary Schools have asked parents and guardians to keep their children and wards at home saying no public school will be opened for academic activities at commencement of 2016/2017 academic session.

The protesting security guards who are being owed more than 13 months’ salary noted that all public primary schools will be under lock and key.

However, the Commissioner for Education in Rivers State, Professor Kaniye Ebeku has urged the aggrieved security guards to shelve their strike action, pleading that the state government should be given a little more time to sort out all outstanding payments.
Professor Ebeku said the government was ready to clear the backlog of salaries.

He noted that the current economic challenges in the country had made it difficult for the Rivers State government to effectively fund every sector at once.

The Education commissioner also blamed the immediate past administration for leaving numerous liabilities. He criticized the security guards for threatening to resort to self help rather than properly engaging the government.

“‎I am surprised that they have threatened to shut down schools again. We have done what we believe is the needful. Approval has been given for the payment of their salaries. The government is not happy to owe anybody. Everyone is aware of the current economic situation in the country.
“Even what they claimed is owed them is a debt that was incurred by the immediate past administration. But as responsible government, we know they are doing a good job in protecting our schools but they must understand that as a government, we have other responsibilities in other sectors.

“I can confirm that their money has been approved and I want to caution that they should not resort to such approach,” Professor Ebeku said.

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