TUNDE BOLAJI – MINNA
Primary school teachers in Niger state have cried out over the percentage payment of their monthly salaries by the authorities concern.
Consequently ,the umbrella body of the teachers in the state , the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has come out to strongly condemned the continued withholding of salaries and/or payment of salaries of primary school teachers on percentage despite several appeals against the trend.
It was gathered that most of the teachers now live from hand-to-mouth due to the economic realities.
The NUT has in a press statement warned that teachers in the state will have no option than to embark on industrial strike if the state government fails to consider their plight.
The statement which was jointly signed by the state Chairman, Comrade Akayago Adamu Mohammed and the Principal Assistant Secretary General, Comrade Labaran Garba made available to newsmen in Minna, called for an end to the deductions.
Teachers in the rural areas, it said, are suffering because of these deductions or payment of salaries on percentage, which according to the NUT, will no longer be tolerated and therefore urged the state government to reconsider its stance on the trend.
It also reaffirmed the Council’s sit-at-home directives to all teachers at the local government level pending when the state government would reverse to status quo the salary payment of primary school teachers in the state.
The state wing executive council in-session also expressed serious concern on the continuous delay for the supply of ZPAD to the Secondary School Teachers yet to benefit from the programme and therefore wants the state ministry of education to ensure that teachers who are yet to benefit are refunded their financial contributions towards that.
The state NUT executive council-in-session however commended the genuine efforts made by the state government in putting machinery in place for the full implementation of the Teachers Salary Scale/Structure (TSS).
It however pleaded with those at the helms of the affairs at the state, local government level and as well, primary school teachers to cooperate and support the conduct of headcount by the NUT in conjunction with the Ministry of Education/SUBEB for a successful and results oriented exercise.
It added that the headcount is aimed at providing the state government with statistics and data of teachers to ascertain the number of qualified with a view to doing away with the unqualified and quacks to enable it to develop a framework for the full implementation of the TSS.
