Three ministers have been summoned to appear before Lakes State Legislative Assembly next Monday over the continued detention of six teachers in a military barracks, a committee investigating the teachers’ grievances said.
The ministers summoned include education minister Nelson Makoi Makur, local government and law enforcement minister Chol Kuotwil Manhom, and legal affairs minister John Thon Kuat.
Ruben Majak Nhial, Ater Ariau, Mabor Mapuor, Makur Nyot, Marol Chol, and Ater Ahou have remained behind bars at the Panda Military barracks after more than 30 others were released. The teachers were put behind bars for more than a week by the state education minister Nelson Makoi Makur for demanding clearance of their salary arrears last month.
Speaking to the media shortly after a parliamentary session regarding the teachers on Thursday, MP Santino Wade Mabiech, a member of the committte, said they demand the release of the six teachers and the full payment of teachers’ salary arrears.
He added that during deliberations, the MPs resolved to summon the
three ministers.
“We give summons to the minister to come to the parliament so that he can explain and answer why the teachers are detained in the military barracks and not in the police, even we have decided to summon the one of local government and law enforcement agency, and the one for the legal and parliamentary affairs to come and explain to us why they detained six teachers in the military barrack instead of police,” he said.
The state caretaker information minister William Koji Kirjok said that the six teachers, once released, will be produced before a court of law to explain why they created such a fuss while the government and teachers work well together.