No fewer than 1,500 teachers, whose appointments were nullified by the Osun State government, have appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke for reinstatement.
The teachers, who were recruited by the immediate past administration of Gboyega Oyetola, said they had worked for about three months before their sack without being paid.
Owoyemi Abdulwasiu, who spoke on behalf of the sacked teachers at a news conference on Monday in Osogbo, said four of them had died as a result of the nullification of their appointments.
Mr Abdulwasiu, who noted that their appointments followed due processes and procedures, appealed to the governor to reconsider them.
He said they were given appointment letters between September and October 2022, after the July 16 governorship election in the state.
“There are great numbers of people who depend on us. Nullifying or terminating our appointments at a time like this is like being thrown into the ‘sea of hopelessness.
“We appeal to you to reconsider us and allow us to continue the work we were assigned to since our recruitment went through due processes and procedures and the fact that we had all lost our previous jobs in private establishments,” he said.
Mr Adeleke had, on November 28, 2022, a day after his inauguration, issued an executive order nullifying all the employment made in all the ministries, departments and agencies after July 17, 2022.
Reacting to the development, Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Communications, Tunde Busari, said those “illegally employed” by the former administration were no longer in the employment by the state government.
Mr Busari, in a statement in Osogbo, claimed that the last administration “deliberately” padded the state payroll with APC members to create a stage for deeper financial crisis, conflict and disharmony.
“Those engaging in demonstrations are APC members smuggled into the state payroll by former Governor Oyetola.
“By virtue of the executive order issued by Mr Governor, those illegally employed remain sacked and are no longer staff of the state government.
“No amount of demonstration and blackmail can change that reality,” he said.
(NAN)