31st March, 2016
Jehtro Ibileke/Asaba
No fewer than 147 “over-aged” teaching and non-teaching staff of Delta State-owned tertiary institutions have been pencilled down for retirement.
The affected staff are from the Colleges of Education in Agbor, Warri and Mosogar; as well as the three state-owned Polytechnics in Ogwashi-Uku, Otefe-Oghara and Ozoro respectively.
The decision to retire the said over-aged staff was contained in a circular issued by the Director of Administration, Delta State Ministry of Higher Education, Kingsley Isichei, on behalf of the Commissioner for Higher Education, Jude Sinebe.
The circular further ordered workers in the six tertiary institutions who are 60 years of age and above to proceed on compulsory retirement with immediate effect.
It would be recalled that the 60 years of age is the mandatory retirement benchmark for employees of the state, except the academic staff in its university.
It was gathered that 60 members of staff of the College of Education, Agbor, whose ages range from 60 years to 65 years, 27 staff of the college of education, Warri and four staff of the College of Physical Education, Mosogar, were affected by the state government directive.
Others are, the Delta State Polytechnics, Ozoro, Ogwashi-Uku and Otefe-Oghara with 25, 12 and 19 members staff respectively.
Reacting to the directive, the Chairman, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Agbor branch, Great Ossai, said the names of staff who were not up to 60 years of age were allegedly added to the list of those asked to proceed on retirement in error.
He disclosed that the matter was being addressed by the authorities concerned, with a view to promoting peaceful teaching and learning environment in the affected institutions.