New Telegraph

NUT gives Bayelsa govt 14-day ultimatum

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Bayelsa State Wing on Tuesday, stated that it would have no other option than to embark on a strike action after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum given to the state government to resolve lingering issues with the union.

The Union regretted that the series of meetings with representatives of the state and local governments last year over the lingering and proctracted issues of non-payment and implementation of N30,000 minimum wage, promotions and salary arrears owed primary school teachers and other critical issues bodering on welfare of teachers and public education in the state has not been addressed.
In a communique issued at an emergency State Executive Council Meeting in Yenagoa, and signed by the State Chairman of NUT Comrade Kalama Toinpre and Secretary, Comrade Johnson Hector, the Union expressed their disappointment over governments disregard to the series of negotiations and resolutions reached with the leadership of the Union as to address the demands before December 2020.
The communique reads: “Following several entreaties and representations made to the Bayelsa State government and Local Government Councils over the lingering but protracted issues of non-payment/implementation of N30 minimum wage, promotions and salary arrears owed primary school teachers and other critical issues bodering on the welfare of teachers and other critical issues bodering on the welfare of teachers and public education in the state, the State Wing Executive Council(SWEC) of the NUT held a crucial emergency meeting to reappraise the state of primary and secondary schools vis-a-vis the response of Government to the demands of the Union, resolve as follows:
“SWEC expressed dismay over the dwindling pace of public primary education occasioned by the seeming inability of Local and State Governments to manage the following issues: non-implementation of N30,000 minimum wage arrears for primary school teachers since December 2019 till date.Non-implementation of promotions for primary school teachers since 2013 to date. Non-implementation of Annual Increment for both primary and secondary school teachers due January 2021, non-payment of salary arrears owed primary school teachers in 2016/2017 ranging from three and a half months to seven and a half months, and acute shortage of teachers in both primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa State.
“In the light of the foregoing, SWEC-in-session resolved that an ultimatum of fourteen days from date be given to the Bayelsa State Government to fully implement the promotions and the N30,000 minimum wage to all primary school teachers and address other problems enumerated above.
“Should the problems mentioned above remain unresolved till the expiration of the fourteen days ultimatum, primary school teachers in the state would have no other option than to down tools.”
In his reaction, the Commissioner of Education, Gentle Emelah said despite the fact that primary school teachers was the responsibility of the local government councils, the state government was working to meet the agreement reached with the NUT, and appealed to the Union to soft pedal in their ultimatum to government.

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