By Mumini Abdulkareem
Chairman, Kwara State branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT),
Comrade Toyin Idris Saliu has hinted on the plan that the union is
looking to exploit in collaboration with the state government to
offset the accumulated backlog of teachers.
Saliu while responding to last week protest by teachers under the
aegis of Kwara Concern Teachers held at the NUT secretariat, Asa Dam
road, Ilorin noted that the leadership has not abandoned them in their
struggle.
While noting that information breakdown has been responsible for areas
of disagreement between the leadership and the teachers, the NUT
chairman advised the teachers to always exploit the right channel to
bridge communication gap.
On the issue of the backlog, Comrade Saliu explained thus: “The Local
Government allocation now goes directly to the LG accounts and there
is a law that no governor should temper with such money.
“That is why we have been able to collect our salaries in full and the
remaining balance N170m and about N130m this month, added together, if
we get more, by December, we will see what percentage it can cover and
start payment of the backlog by liaising with the government and
relevant ministries and agencies.
“We also plan to approach the governor for succour when there is any
windfall from windows like Paris club or other financial avenues to
augment whatever we are able to gather so that it will be faster. It
is something that needs to be paid, it might be going at snail speed
but we will gradually reach there,” he submitted.
The NUT boss said the issues that had triggered the process has to do
with problems inherited by the present government which include salary
backlog, promotion issues, cooperative dues to some teachers and about
1,302 teachers who have not been paid salaries in 2016.
He said the NUT has intensified efforts by seeking audience with the
Speaker, Hon Danladi Yakubu-Salihu and Deputy Governor, Kayode Alabi
who all promised to convey their message and meet the Governor on
their behalf.
He said they have met the Governor only once since he was elected “and
he promised to look into our plight. But up till now, the only one
that has become a thing of the past is that salaries are now being
paid promptly. On promotion and backlog we have been trying to explain
to our teeming members but some people find it difficult to believe
the success of your struggle until they see the result.
“We are still using this medium to appeal to the Governor as a matter
of urgency to address the issue of the teachers who form the largest
work force in the state.
“My message is that our members should remain calm, there is light at
the end of the tunnel, this government will do it, because there is no
hidden space and failure for them to address it on time, other actions
will be taken according to the guidelines of our unionism,” he added.
