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No Going Back On Sacked Teachers, Kaduna Governor Vows

Nasiru Ahmed El Rufai
Nasiru Ahmed El Rufai

Governor Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai of Kaduna has made it clear that he would not reverse the sacking of 21,780 teachers irrespective of pressure from any quarter.
The teachers were sacked in November last year after they failed primary four examination.
“There is nothing to step back on. It is a well thought out position. We took one and half years before we made the decision and we will not change it.”
The governor told news men at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, today, Friday after observing Jum’at (Friday) prayer along with President Muhammadu Buhari that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) whose leadership protested the sack yesterday in the state had the right to express themselves the way they feel.
“For me, the right to protest is guaranteed in the constitution providing you don’t go violent and you don’t violate any laws.”
Governor el-Rufai said that in line with the public service rule, the state government will pay three months severance pay to the sacked teachers.
He said that some incentives have also been provided for those that are retiring to go through the retirement training. “Those that are interested in farming, we have the reserve land available and for those that want to go into trade, we have micro credit to support them but they are not suitable as teachers.
“They can do other things and the government will do other things to support them.”
He denied instructing police to stop workers from marching to government house during the protest in the state yesterday, saying that he was not even in Kaduna.
He believed that the concerns of the police was because of the precarious situation in the country particularly in Kaduna which made it unsuitable to have such protest.
“And the last time they did such a thing, they attacked the State House of Assembly; a legislator for which they have filed criminal charges. So this is the concern, the concern is break down of law and order and not protest or strike. They are free to do so but it will not change our position.”