Ekiti Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers has on Monday commenced a two-day warning strike to protest against the unpaid September 2014 salary arrears and 2014 leave bonuses.
The strike action embarked upon by the Nigeria Union Of Teachers in Ekiti affected all primary schools across the 16 local government areas of the state as several pupils returned home as their school gates were shut.
Samuel Akosile, the State Chairman of NUT while briefing journalists said their salaries and leave bonuses were not captured in the bailout released by the Federal Government to Ekiti recently, adding that the local government workers were paid for the period while primary school teachers who received salaries from the same source were left out.
He continued that; “There has been serious agitation, it is our considered opinion that even if the bailout did not come, it behoves the state government to look inward and look at ways to pay the money. It is long overdue.”
Mr. Akosile explained further that the failure of Secondary School teachers to join the strike is not an indication of divisions amongst the union.
He added; “This agitation had been on but I pleaded with my people to allow us have a dialogue with the government first. The governor said he would pay with the bailout but it seems as if we are running out of patience and we have no option but to embark on this strike to press home our demands.
“Although, the government is making effort to pay, it has to look inward for an alternative to pay members if the bailout is not forthcoming because this payment is long overdue.
“Government is a continuum and this situation is a product of actions and inactions of the (former Governor Kayode) Fayemi’s government which this government inherited and it has to inherit it properly,”
In a statement made available by the Chief Press Secretary to the Ekiti State Governor, Idowu Adelusi on Monday, he said the contentious salary was part of the bailout expected from the Federal Government adding that; “Ekiti is one of the nine states affected; consequently, the governor has explained times without number to the workers. If the Federal Government has not paid, there is nothing Ekiti State Government can do.
“If the economy had been alright, it was possible for the governor to source for money to pay the teachers before bailout comes, but it is pretty difficult to pay even the regular salary.”