Residents of Ikot Osurua, the
host community of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic in Ikot Ekpene Local Government
Area, blocked the main entrance of the institution on Tuesday to protest the
appointment of a non-indigene as the Community Liaison Officer (CLO).
Over 1,000 protesters rejected
the CLO and called for the removal of Rector Dr. Moses Umobong, whose tenure is
set to expire in the next two months.
They accused him of slashing
part-time staff salaries from N50,000 to N30,000, despite the nationwide push
for a minimum wage increase, describing the pay cut as a violation of civil
service rules.
The protesters stormed the gate
at around 7 a.m., chanting war songs and displaying placards with messages such
as “CLO Our Right,” “Umobong Worst Rector in History of Akwa Poly,” and
“Umobong Slashes Part-Time Workers’ Salary from N50,000 to N30,000.”
The demonstration reportedly
disrupted ongoing Students’ Union Government Week activities, as gates were
locked and students and staff were denied access to the campus.
When contacted, Rector Umobong
expressed regret over the protest, noting that his tenure would soon end. He
said he would brief the government on the incident before giving his side of
the story.
“I will speak with
you in more detail tomorrow. Right now, I need to report this protest to the
state government, and I’m not sure when I’ll finish. Let’s meet tomorrow,” he said.
As reported by PUNCH Online on
the 31st of July, Moses Umobong has dismissed claims of a succession crisis at
the institution, calling them baseless.
The rumours
suggested that he was pushing for a kinsman to succeed him, allegedly favouring
the Ibibio ethnic group over others, including the Annangs. Umobong, whose
tenure ends in November, stressed that only the state governor has the
authority to appoint polytechnic rectors.
Addressing
journalists, Umobong described the allegations as politically motivated and
“faceless,” noting that all appointments of principal officers are regulated by
the governor and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
He
highlighted his tenure’s achievements, including securing 100 percent
accreditation for all programs, elevating the polytechnic from 99th to second
place nationally, and improving staff qualifications, with over 60 PhD holders
now employed. Umobong thanked the governor and previous leadership for
supporting the institution’s growth and expressed hope that his legacy would be
maintained.
© Christabel Ndoeche | Source – Punch Newspaper
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