From John Adams, Minna
The Nigeria Union of Teachers Niger state wing on Tuesday accused the state government of it failure to fulfill agreements entered into with union for the payment of leave allowance, implementation of Teachers salary scheme, promotion, among others which led to the calling off of strike action embarked upon by the union.
The union described the government action as “deceitful” stressing that it was based on the agreement that the union decided to call off the strike earlier embarked upon to press home their demand for improved conditions of service.
The Principal Assistant Secretary of the Union Comrade Labaran Garba stated this in Minna while moving the votes of thanks at the end of activities to mark this year’s World Teachers Day celebration.
Comrade Labaran who stole the show with his vote of thanks as he received standing ovation from the members, could not hide the Union’s reservation towards the government, accusing the government and it’s officials of being “heartless and insensitive” to the plights of it’s workers especially teachers.
The union stated further that the government was aware it would not honour it’s part of the agreements but hoodwinked the union leaders into going into the bargain.
“We are gradually being pushed to the wall, we will revolt soon, very soon we shall clear all hurdles to reach where we want to be, we will revolt soon”, Garba thundered
Garba who was equally not happy with some of it’s members that are now political appointees in the government, and were equally present at the event as representative of their principals, described them as “heartless leaders” who have refused to rescue teachers from poverty.
According to him, “they have taken delight in globe trotting at the expense of teachers and workers in the state”.
The Union boss described as “inhuman” the present situation in the state where Teachers are being paid their salaries in percentages, saying “despite the cry of no money some government officials still have money to travel around the world for weeks”
He submitted thus: “God will judge all of us one day, it is unfair”.
Earlier the State Chairman of the Union Comrade Akayago Adamu Mohammed had appealed to the state government to declare October 5th every year as a public holiday for primary and post primary schools in the state and ” release circulars to this effect to schools in good time” which he said will go a long way ” to buttress the love interest and concern this administration has for teachers and educational system in the state”
Akayago said the next celebration should be used as ” exhibition day for education materials by directing all schools in the state to present any innovative educational materials, educational journal, instructional materials, and publications by pupils students and teachers
” It is our believe that if this is given positive consideration the lost glory, respect, dignity and reputation of the teaching profession and teachers in particular will be boosted”
The guest lecturer and former Commissioner for Education in the state Dr Mustapha Lemu said in his presentation that ” Education is the heart of development, only education can take you to the top”
In the lecture titled ” Teachers At The Heart Of Education Recovery” Dr Lemu submitted that “If Nigeria wants to be better it has to focus on education, if we neglect education we will fail”.