-As Gov Eno, Commissioners, ignore aggrieved workers to attend APC party submit ahead of 2027
-Hunger strike bites harder among civil servants
By the Guide Newspaper
Workers under the employ of Akwa Ibom University, (AKSU), on Friday, took to the streets to protest against Akwa Ibom State Government over her refusal to pay their May/June Salaries and denial of 8 months new minimum wage arrears.
The protest by AKSU workers under the aegis of Academic and Non-academic staff of Akwa Ibom State University, who thronged the office of Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Dr. Frank Ekpenyong, to press home their demands, took place while Governor Umo Eno, his cabinet members and APC leaders in the state were converging at APC State Party Secretariat in Uyo, for a Strategic Stakeholders Engagement Submit, beginning today.
The submit, according to the official circular of the party signed by the State Party Chairman, Mr Stephen Ntukekpo, is to mobilise support from APC party structures across the state for President Bola Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno and Senator Godswill Akpabio ahead of 2027 general elections.
The workers in the state-owned University who came out in good numbers and invaded the office of Dr. Frank Ekpenyong, demanded their salaries and other entitlements, insisting that they have families to cater for.
The protest by AKSU Staff came after weeks of prolonged strike which has kept the doors of the two campuses of the state-owned University closed against all academic activities.
Our correspondent reports that AKSU workers protest is happening amid biting hunger among civil servants in Akwa Ibom State who are yet to receive their June salary.
It would be recalled that the Guide Newspaper had in her previous publication a week ago reported that Governor Umo Eno recently sacked the state salary consultant who served in the Ministry of Finance and saddled the responsibility of processing workers salary vouchers in the state with the Ministry of Science and Digital Economy headed by Dr. Frank Ekpenyong, as the Commissioner.
Speaking on the development, a public affairs commentator in the state Dr. Nelson Essien, described APC led government of Governor Umo Eno in Akwa Ibom State, as a government with avarice for power and care free attitude to germane issues such as workers welfare and education.
According to him, “It is sad that Governor Eno just barely a month in APC has been so insensitive to workers welfare and carefree about the future of Akwa Ibom children whose education has been hampered by the strike and protest of the state-owned university staff. With this, APC as a party has again demonstrated crude betrayal of the people which the party once feigned to care for during her days as an opposition party in the state.”
It would also be recalled that barely a month ago, Governor Umo Eno spent billions of State’s funds to procure 11 SUV Prado Jeeps to serving Federal House of Representatives members from Akwa Ibom State; settled APC party Chairman in the State, with N10million alongside new SUV Prado Jeep.
Governor Umo Eno’s administration in the last one month has been embroiled in issues of negligence of workers’ welfare with civil servants in Akwa Ibom State yet to be paid their June salaries, a development social commentators say amounts to obvious insensitivity to workers welfare.
