Emma Amaize
09 March 2012, Sweetcrude, WARRI — SOME members of Ugbomoro community, host to the Federal University of Petroleum Technology (FUPRE), Ugbomro, Effurun, Delta State, Thursday, laid siege to the institution for allegedly marginalising them in the area of employment.
The natives, including chiefs and youths, stormed the administrative block of the university and disrupted the proposed oral interview for junior workers scheduled for Thursday.
Dean of Students of the institution, Dr. John Arubayi, who hails from the community, said: “What happened was not a protest. People applied as clerical staff, examination was conducted and some people invited for interview.
“Concession was even given to some members of the community to come for the interview, but some people came to the school (Thursday), saying that they should be given employment. The place became rowdy, I was not even at the school then, I would have addressed them. They are my people, but the management does not want more problems in the school and the exercise was cancelled.”
The demonstrators, including the Secretary General of the community, Chief James Enakeyarie, accused the authorities of marginalising the leadership of Ugbomro community.
He frowned at what he described as “ongoing illegal employment” being carried out by the management of the university.
President of Ugbomro Graduate and Non-graduate Associatiopn, Mr Orhoma Monday, said it was shocking that since the inception of the university, the management had only employed one person as junior permanent staff from the community, noting that employment has been going on in the university secretly.
The community leaders called on the Federal Government to prevail on the management of the university to redress the anomaly, pointing out that the current management was stifling the growth of the institution.
