*It’s administrative issue – Perm Sec
By Kayode Adeoti
Some teachers in the employ of Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), yesterday, stormed the Board’s office in Ilorin to protest the non-payment of seven months’ salary.
The teachers who came from different local government areas in the state were sighted by this medium shouting and chanting all sorts of solidarity songs to drive home their plight.
They called on the authority of SUBEB to as a matter of urgency do something about their predicament to avert breakdown of law and order.
The teachers also accused SUBEB of mismanaging their funds thereby calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to wade into the matter by conducting discreet investigation to unravel mystery behind why some selected teachers were not paid for seven consecutive months.
While expressing their grievances, they claimed that they were employed by SUBEB on January 2, 2019 but yet to receive any gratification despite their tasks in various places of primary assignment.
Speaking with this medium under the condition of anonymity is one of the protesters from Isin LG, who said over 2,000 teachers are affected.
“We were employed as teachers since January 2019 under SUBEB but we’ve never received a dime as monthly salaries, yet we work. We heard that the new government has announced that those workers employed by the past government should be paid, so, we are surprised that our case is different.
“Each time we come here to express our displeasure over the issue; the story has always been the same. They claimed they’ve not been given order to effect the payment of our dues.
“We kept wondering how they’ve been doing it in such a way that some selected workers will get paid while over 2,000 of us will be left languishing in hunger. There was a time we were driven away just because we told them the truth. All what we need is the payment of our backlog even if they are going to lay us off thereafter.
Another teacher who also spoke anonymously to National Pilot noted that efforts geared towards addressing the issue had always met brick wall.
“Despite the fact that we had no money to come to the state capital, we still go about to borrow, now, no one want to assist us again because they are now aware of the fact that we don’t have any means of paying back.
“Each time we come here, the authority will not come out to address us, this got us weakened. For now, we don’t know our fate as regards the payment. We are hungry, we deserve better lives,” she lamented.
Meanwhile, a middle-aged man who also expressed his displeasure over the issue urged Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to always monitor his directives to ensure total compliance.
When contacted over the development, the Permanent Secretary, SUBEB, Alhaji Bayo Onimago told our reporter that it is an administrative issue and it will soon be resolved.
He however declined to provide further details but noted that the appropriate authorities have waded in.
“It is an administrative issue which we are trying to solve, I don’t want to dwell much on the issue but this month, hopefully, the matter would be laid to rest.
When asked of the total number of teachers who are affected, the Permanent Secretary, said, “They are not up to 2,000 as claimed by the protesters though I don’t know the specific number.”
