Minimum wage: Teachers in Edo, Ogun, Borno, 8 others begin strike tomorrow

Primary and Secondary school teachers in 11 states of the federation will commence an indefinite strike from tomorrow in a move against non-payment of the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Enhanced Salary Scale (TESS) and N18,000 Minimum Wage to them.

National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), following an emergency meeting in Abuja on Thursday, directed all the teachers in the affected states to embark on the “painful” indefinite strike action.

The 11 states are Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Ogun, Edo, Kogi, Niger, Borno, Benue, Zamfara and Sokoto.

NUT President, Comrade Michael Alogba Olukoya, who briefed newsmen on the outcome of the meeting, said the strike would not abate until the union witnessed the payment of these long outstanding packages for the teachers.

He said the respective state wings of the union had been sufficiently mobilised towards a strike to restore teachers’ integrity and honour.

He described the action of some of these state governors as derelict, unpatriotic and self-serving.

He said the issue of the 27.5 per cent TESS had lingered for about five years after the union signed an agreement with Nigerian Governors’ Forum in 2008 on the implementation of the scheme by the various state governments.

Olukoya said: “On 6th of August, 2008, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, under the leadership of Dr Bukola Saraki and Arc. Namadi Sambo, then of Kwara and Kaduna states respectively, as Chairman and Secretary of NGF, did not only enter the affray but successfully negotiated with the NUT and granted 27.5% Teachers’ Peculiar Allowance and made payable with effect from January 2009.

“While some state governments, after much struggle, have come to terms with the provisions of the agreement, it is regrettable that 5 years after, eight states are still in their season of prevarications.”

He said the decision by the NEC for the NUT state wings to commence the strike action was painful in view of the children and parents who would bear the brunt, but that NUT had no other choice when dialogue and negotiations have failed.

He said: “Given our patience, endurance and sacrifice so far, shall we watch with our hands akimbo and expect these recalcitrant governments to ride roughshod on our teachers’ rights and privileges? No! We cannot afford to remain a laughing stock of our members who are quick to see us a toothless bulldog.”

Comrade Olukoya further explained that the second leg of the strike was hinged on the refusal of some of the states to pay the 2011 Minimum Wage of N18, 000 to their teachers.

He said it was most regrettable that while Minimum Wage was implemented for other categories of workers some of these defaulting States, teachers were deliberately exempted from the payment. 

He specifically mentioned Benue, Zamfara, Kogi and Sokoto, that have refused to pay the teachers the N18,000 Minimum Wage, saying this was unacceptable.

Olukoya, stressed that the weak defence by some State Governments to blame the non-implementation of the 27.5 per cent enhanced salary on the salary relativity or consolidated package of July 2010 not tenable.

He explained that the agreement between NUT and NGF was that whatever they pay teachers in their respective states, teachers should earn the 27.5 per cent in addition.  

Source: Tribune