BY JOEL GRANDBALL/UGHELLI
TEACHERS in Ughelli North Local Government Area on resumption, yesterday, embarked on a peaceful protest over an alleged mass transfer embarked on by the Local Education Authority (LEA) without due process.
The teachers, who were putting on black skirts and knickers on red T-shirts, accused the LEA Secretary of undermining the process of posting and transfer of teachers in the local government area.
This is just as the LEA Secretary, Olorogun Pius Omubaye, who denied the allegations, disclosed that all transfers were approved by the Delta State SUBEB chairman.
Speaking, chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ughelli North chapter, Comrade Ovuevuraye Augustine said, “We are on black and red because the Local Government Education Authority that is in charge of posting and transfer did a very bad and illegal transfer of teachers.
“For a reason we do not know, some teachers names were deleted while dead and retired teachers were on the list and it is shocking.
“We are here to correct the abnormally because what we saw on the notice board is a transfer but reposting of teachers and I don’t know what happened to our former transfer letters.
“And that is why we are here to drive home our demands that he should retrieve the posting he tags transfer and apologize to Ughelli North teachers.
“He should know that before any transfer is made the NUT must be notified and transfers are done in second term that is a certificate term rather transfer is done at the beginning of academic session”, he explained.
One of the shocking names on the list is of a deceased Headmaster, Comrade Onoyovwrhe Emmanuel who died in 2025 but was transferred to Izeze primary school Agadama in Uwheru as a classroom teacher and Mrs Edubi that has retired was on the list.
Some other teachers names include Efeakpokrihe Theresa, Beauty Onojeta were removed from the teaching service without any justification.
“In Ughelli North, we have 896 teachers but on his list we were surprised to see 996 names of teachers and another is where the teachers he is posting are coming from, we don’t know unlike before when you see and know where those posted are coming and going.
“We want the Delta State government to call the Local Education Authority Secretary to other and follow due process because there are bylaws guiding board that is signed by the Delta State House of Assembly.”
Denying the allegations of not following due process, LEA Secretary, Chief Pius Omubaye said, the transfer we did was under the guidance of the Delta State Universal Basic Education and will published the transfer last Friday before resumption.
“On our own when we discovered that there were some errors, some teachers name were not there while names appeared twice.
“Those are normal errors and when it was discovered a message was sent across to the NUT chairman to allow us 48 hrs to rectify the errors and that the transfer was done across the state and not just Ughelli North alone.
“We followed due process in the transfer and the SUBEB chairman is aware of it because he is the hallmark and what the union has done make me feel that there is political undertone to run down the SUBEB chairman.” Omubaye stated.
