By SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN — Edo State governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole,  has recalled 20 teachers,  who were sacked October last year for absenteeism. He also announced the recall of Education Secretaries in the local governments, who were also relieved of their duties due to negligence.

The governor said that he was granting the sacked workers pardon in the spirit of the worker’s day celebration. He said that he had no regret appointing a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment outside the civil service,  noting  that the decision was made in the interest of the people of the state and the ministry in particular.

Oshiomhole, who addressed the workers, said:  “In the spirit of our 101 years of organised labour, in the spirit of our movement, in the spirit of our labour ancestors and in the spirit of May Day, I will order the commissioner to recall all the teachers and they will resume by next week. I should be worried about the children of Edo people just as I should be worried about my children.

“In my second term, we are going to rebuild more schools, recruit more teachers, so that for every subject in our schools, we  have qualified teachers.”

On his decision to appoint Major Loye as Permanent Secretary, the governor , said “I am not a cheap politician.  I want to be a leader,  who is conscious of tomorrow.”