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By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state government to fulfill all its outstanding entitlements and improve its condition of services.
The union in a 10 -points communique issued at the end of its enlarged meeting in Benin City said the 21-day ultimatum takes effect from Tuesday, December 8, 2020.
The communique dated Tuesday, December 8 2020 was signed by Pius Okhueliegbe, state, chairman, Moni Mike Itua, Assistant Secretary General and three others respectively.
Moni Mike, decried the seeming non-challant attitude of Edo state government to genuinely address the union’s age long demands.
According to him, SWEC- in- session in its December 8, 2020, enlarged meeting deliberated on issues of education, teachers welfare, conditions of service, entitlements and disciplinary matters in Edo Stste as well as the actions and inactions of the state government and some of its managers of education.
“During the painstaking deliberations SWEC- in- session noted with utmost dismay, the seeming non-challant attitude of Edo state government to genuinely address the union’s age long demands and appeals of the union on matters that are of rights.
“Specifically, it was very glaring that the demands and appeals made, both diplomatically and through collective bargaining processes in the past by the union were still not attended to by the government.
“The SWEC- in- session also carried out an appraisal of the high handedness and reckless use of official powers on primary school heads and teachers by Edo SUBEB and its officials in the state vis-a-vis the happening in Esan North-East local government area between the Acting Education Secretary of the local government and members of the union”,he said.
He listed some of the demands to include the payment of 2013 to 2015 promotion arrears of teachers in Oredo, Oehionnwon and Uhunmwode local governments, full implementation of the 30 percent Special Allowance for teachers in schools for challenged children and payment of all arrears.
Also demanded for was the reinforcement and guaranteed the payment of primary school teachers monthly salaries, on or before the 27th day of every month as already directed by the governor of Edo State.
Others are payment of all schools monthly subventions deducted and remitted to the coffers of SUBEB by the 18 local government councils since April 2020 till date to school heads for the administration of their schools.
Moni Mike. who called on the teachers in the state to remain calm, mobilize for an indefinite strike action, urged them to wait for a further directives from the union at the expiration of the ultimatum to the state government.
