By Gabriel Elozino, Asaba
The Delta State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has given the state government a two weeks ultimatum to implement the new minimum wage regime for primary school teachers in the state.
NUT position was contained in a Communique, issued at the end of an extra-ordinary meeting of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC), held at the Union’s State Secretariat in Asaba yesterday.
The Communique signed by the State Chairman, Comrade Titus Okotie, the Secretary, Comrade Dan Basime and the Publicity Secretary, Comrade Adaboke Emmanuel, and made available to journalists noted that failure of the state government to implement the new minimum wage and other pressing issues two weeks into the second term of the 2021/2022 academic session, will make Teachers to embark on a two days peaceful protest and possibly strike action.
While lamenting what it described acute shortage of teachers in the public school system, NUT notes, “our school system and the continued stagnation of University graduate primary school teachers on Salary Grade Level 14, the Union has come to a conclusion to task the government on the needful.
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“Having exhausted all avenues of dialogue with the state government, SWEC-in Session considered this long delay in the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage for primary school teachers as deliberate and diabolic ploy to further frustrate only these set of teachers while civil servants and other workers enjoy same. This has further subjected them to second class citizens in the State we all call our own.
“The State government and other relevant stakeholders should as a matter of urgency set necessary machineries in motion for the amicable settlement of the issue as a precondition for peaceful resumption of schools for the 2021/2022 second term academic session.
“However, that two weeks after resumption of schools for the 2021/2022 academic session without the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage and resolution of other contending issues, the NUT shall lead all primary school teachers in the state on a two day peaceful protest across the 25 local government areas to properly sensitize members and the general public.
“That the protest shall herald the commencement of a total eclipse on the state primary education system.”
They called on the state government to act fast in the overall interest of a peaceful industrial climate in the state and save our primary education system from immediate collapse.
