The Abia State government seems to be towing the path of Osun State after owing teachers' salaries for several months.
Okezie Ikpeazu
Teachers in public primary and secondary schools in Abia State have
embarked on strike to protest alleged government’s failure to pay their
salaries, according to the Vanguard.
Schools in the state were supposed to reopen on Monday, Jan. 9
after the Christmas and New Year holidays but resumption was postponed
to Monday, Jan. 16.
The teachers refused to resume, insisting on the payment of their
outstanding five months salary arrears. At Ibeku High School, Umuahia
and School Road Primary School, Umuahia, students and pupils, who turned
up for school, were seen leaving the premises in droves.
The Principal of Ibeku High School, Mr Ojike Kalu-Ojike, told
newsmen in his office that the teachers were attending a meeting over
the situation.
An executive member of the state branch of the Nigeria Union of
Teachers (NUT), however, told pressmen on condition of anonymity that
the teachers had proceeded on strike.
“The teachers have gone on strike to demand the payment of their salaries,” he said.
The source said that secondary school teachers were issued their
salary cheques for July 2016 in December, while their primary school
counterparts were just receiving theirs.
He regretted that “this is the first time teachers in Abia were paid with crossed cheques,’’ adding that “while some cheques cleared, many are yet to clear as I am talking with you’’.
He said that the initial resumption date was shifted to Jan. 16 by
the government with a promise that the August and September salaries
would be paid simultaneously before the new resumption date.
“Today, the new date has come and we did not hear anything from the government, not even for August,’’ he said.
He said that teachers in Abia “are going through hell,’’ saying, “It has never been so bad.
“It has become increasingly difficult for Abia teachers to feed and fend for their families.
“We have cases where some of us have to withdraw our children from the university because of lack of money to pay their fees.
“One pathetic case was that of a teacher in one of the
secondary schools who could not raise N60,000 acceptance fee for his
son’s admission to read Medicine at the state University, Uturu,’’ he said.
Some of the teachers, who also spoke, wondered why the state
government could not deploy the N10.6 billion Abia share from the Paris
Club’s refund to clear the backlog of workers’ salaries and pensions.
When contacted, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ikechi
Mgbeoji, told newsmen in a telephone interview, that he had scheduled a
meeting with NUT executives on the development.
Meanwhile, private schools in the state have reopened fully for the
second term. Abia received N10.6 billion from Paris Club refund but the
government said it would set aside N5.3 billion to offset part of the
arrears of workers’ salaries and pensions.
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