Teachers threaten strike in 11 states

The President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Michael Olukoya

 

The President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Michael Olukoya, has warned the union will embark on indefinite strike in 11 states if governors refuse to honour the 27. 5% agreement signed with the federal government.

NUT had ordered its members in states yet to implement the new Teachers Enhanced Salary Structure (TESS) to down tools from July 23.

In a chat with newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Olukoya, however said the union postponed the industrial action till September to avoid disruption of examination in schools.   

The affected states are Cross Rivers, Kastina, Lagos, Delta, Ogun, Ekiti, Kogi, Abia, Enugu, Eboyi and Nasarawa.

He disclosed the Minister of Education, federal legislators, Governors and well-meaning Nigerians appealled to the NUT to postpone the action.  

According to him: “Ordinarily the strike should have started about two weeks ago but it was shelved.

‘’We are not trouble shooters. We do not take joy in causing crisis in the education sector. More so we are aware that was a period for exams and vacation and we conceded and allowed time for more dialogue.’’

He went on: “As I am talking to you we have resolved that we still have about 11 states that are refusing to honour the agreement.

‘’The stand of the NUT is that we want to appeal to the governor’s forum to intervene in this matter because it is an issue that has been dragging on for quite a long time.’’

He said the union has been pushed to the wall, saying, “If this matter drags on till September when the new session resumes, students might resume without teachers in the 11 states that are affected. Enough is enough.”