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The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Bayelsa State chapter has said it would have no other option than to embark on a strike action after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum to the state government to resolve lingering issues with the union.
The union regretted that the series of meetings with representatives of state and local governments last year over “the lingering and protracted issues of non-payment and implementation of N30,000 minimum wage, promotions and salary arrears owed primary school teachers and other critical issues bordering on welfare of teachers and public education in the state has not been addressed.”
In a communique issued at an emergency state wing executive council meeting in Yenagoa, and signed by the state chairman of NUT, Comrade Kalaama Tonpre, and secretary, Comrade Johnson Hector, the union expressed disappointment over alleged government’s disregard to the series of negotiations and resolutions reached with the leadership of the union aimed at addressing 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 bordering 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.
“Without prejudice to the above resolution, the state wing of the NUT is ever committed to work with the ‘Prosperity Government to guarantee an enhance public school system through better conditions of service and quality education delivery, but not until the teachers perish.”
In response, the state commissioner of Education, Mr. Gentle Emelah, said despite the fact that primary school teachers are 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.
He said: “I am aware, we had a meeting with them late last year and we agreed on certain terms and I think government is working on those terms as they were and one of those things is the issue of their promotion. You will agree with me that both the primary and secondary schools board, the SUBEB have orgainise promotion is on. Those are some of the agreements and conditions we reached.
“I am equally aware that concerning the primary school which is worst hit, there was an agreement we reached where monies are being saved by local government councils because primary school teachers are being paid by the local government.
“It is not the responsibility of the state government but the state government is augmenting and assisting them to see that the issue is resolved and if government is doing its own bits to make sure that the agreement we reached is fulfilled. I think they should soft pedal and I believe that they will soft pedal because all the things we agreed in that meeting we are doing it.”
