Abia Government Moves to Avert Teachers Strike Amid Salary Structure Disputes and Other Grievances
In response to a looming strike action by members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the Abia State Government has initiated measures to address the grievances raised by teachers across primary and secondary schools in the state.
The teachers had last week issued a notice of strike over the alleged non-implementation of the Teachers Salary Structure (TSS), retirement of educators before the approved age of 65, and failure to remit monthly running imprests to principals and heads of schools. These issues were made public by the NUT State Chairman, Madu Friday, and Secretary, Nnenna Okonkwo, who hinted that Governor Alex Otti might not be aware of these anomalies.
Addressing the press on Tuesday after the State Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Otti, the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, disclosed that steps were already being taken to resolve the concerns raised by the teachers. He said that the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Goodluck Ubochi, had been directed to meet with the NUT leadership to find amicable solutions.
Okey Kanu acknowledged the teachers' complaints but insisted that the situation had been exaggerated by opposition elements for political gains.
Yes, we have a section of teachers who are not happy about certain issues concerning their remunerations, owing partly to some differences between the salaries of primary school teachers and their counterparts in the junior secondary schools,"Kanu stated.
He also emphasized that under Governor Otti's administration, teachers are receiving the new minimum wage of N70,000 and now enjoy an extended retirement age of 65, a move which aligns with federal policies. According to him, the current government has introduced a series of incentives which have helped attract back professionals who had abandoned the teaching profession during previous administrations due to unpaid salaries.
Kanu reassured the public and educational stakeholders that the government is committed to resolving the issues to ensure continuous learning in schools across Abia State.
