The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Edo State chapter, has directed all primary school teachers and school heads in the South-south states to embark on an indefinite strike from January 18 this year.
The union’s directive on Wednesday, January 13, 2021, was contained in a communique issued at the end of its enlarged State Wing Executive Council, SWEC, meeting in Benin.
The communique was signed by Edo Chairman of NUT, Pius Okhueleigbe, the assistant secretary-general, Mike Itua, and three others.
Edo NUT stated that its decision to embark on an indefinite strike was as a result of the failure of the Edo state government to meet its 10-point demands.
It noted that the strike ordered was a sequel to the expiration of the 21-day and 14-day ultimatums earlier given to Godwin Obaseki’s administration.
The communique read in part: “All public primary school-heads and teachers in the 18 local government areas of Edo State should unfailingly embark on an indefinite strike from 12:00 a.m. (early morning) of Monday, January 18, 2021 and ensure that all teaching and learning tools in their possessions are completely put in off-mode.”
Edo NUT also hailed members of the Edo House of Assembly’s Committee on Education, the Controller of Labour, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, for their intervention.
It expressed dismay over the glaring and persistent non-challant attitude of Edo state government for not initiating attempts at meeting with the union’s leaders, during the period of the ultimatums, to dialogue on the issues raised.
The aggrieved teachers urged all parents and guardians to keep their children and wards away from the public primary schools across Edo state, throughout the period of the indefinite strike.
NUT in Edo also admonished schools’ heads and parents to disregard any form of propaganda, blackmail, announcements, pronouncements, and intimidation against the lawful decisions of the union for the period of the strike from any quarter.
It called on all lovers of education, well-meaning citizens, and institutions in Edo state to prevail on Obaseki’s administration to meet the demands of the teachers.
The union had on December 8 and December 29, 2020, issued 21-day and 14-day ultimatums respectively to the Edo state government to fulfill all its financial and other entitlements to it.
Some of the demands of the primary school teachers in Edo include payment of the 2013 to 2015 promotion arrears of teachers in Oredo, Orhionmwon, and Uhunmwode LGAs.
Others are reinforcement and guaranteeing of the payment of primary school teachers’ monthly salaries, on or before the 27th of every month, as directed by Obaseki, correct implementation of the 30 percent special allowance for teachers in schools for challenged children and all arrears paid, among others.
Source: The Nation
