Akwa Ibom Assembly reinstates 11 lecturers sacked in 2013

The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution, authorising the reinstatement of 11 lecturers wrongfully disengaged by the College of Education, Afaha Nsit in 2013.

The motion was moved by the House Leader, Mr Udo Akpan and seconded by the Chief Whip, Mr Emmanuel Ekpenyong.

The House had earlier referred the petitions from the affected lecturers to the House Committee on Education.

The committee recommended that the House should order for immediate reinstatement of the affected lecturers back to their different departments.

The committee also requested the House to direct relevant authority that handled the biometric in the college to correct the error and reconfigure the names of the affected lecturers as academic staff and not as non-academic staff.

The committee also directed that the affected lecturers be promoted as and when due, and their entitlements paid accordingly.

All the recommendations were adopted and a resolution passed accordingly.

The Speaker, Mr Onofiok Luke, directed the Clerk, Mrs Mandu Umoren, to communicate the House resolution to relevant authority for action.

The House also at plenary received a message from Gov. Udom Emmanuel, seeking the approval of the House to allow the state government spend N14.5 billion Paris Club loan refunded to the state by the Federal Government.

Emmanuel in his letter said that the money would be used to settle outstanding pensions and gratuity and other contractual agreement.

The House referred the letter to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation for further legislative action.

At plenary the Maritime Sector Bill sponsored by Mr Usoro Akpanusoh, passed through second reading.

The bill was opposed by Mr Mark Esset (PDP- Nsit Atai) on the ground that state house of assembly has no legislative power on maritime issues.