At least 95 employees of the Enugu State College of Education Technical, ESCET, have been fired, Platinum Times has learned.
The impacted staff members were informed of the development on Tuesday by the College’s Registrar, Mr Pat Aneke.
According to a source at the meeting, the dismissal was motivated by apparent anomalies in the employment of the three-year-old employees.
One of the workers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated that stress has permeated the institution, with the development occurring amid the country’s hardships.
“We were informed today, (Tuesday) that a government implementation committee is carrying out the recommendations of an investigative committee earlier set up.
“By this action, they said 95 workers, both academic and non-academic employed in 2021 have been sacked.
“The management said letters will be made available to the affected staff members today, Wednesday.
“It was received with huge shock, with some people collapsing upon getting the news. There is tension all over the college.”
While describing the development as heartbreaking, the worker, who spoke under anonymity, said they were being owed several months of salary areas.
“All these while, we have been forced to bear the brunt of unpaid salaries in a country ravaged by economic turmoil and hyperinflation, where every naira counts.
“Now, they want to terminate our job after three years; the weight of this injustice is crushing.
“Imagine the despair of those who have diligently served their institution, sacrificing their time, energy, and expertise, only to be met with this injustice,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, one of the affected workers has appealed to Governor Peter Mbah to come to their aid.
He told our correspondent that “we are mothers, fathers, breadwinners, whose livelihoods have been snatched away.
“We are appealing to the government to rescind this decision. We are begging Governor Peter Mbah to consider the economic situation in the country and halt this action by the implementation committee.”