The Rivers Government has denied owing the salaries of security guards working in public primary schools in the state.
This is contained in a statement in Port Harcourt on Monday by Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant on Electronic Media to Gov. Nyesom Wike.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that security guards had on Monday locked the entrances to some public primary schools, preventing pupils from gaining access.
NAN learnt that the action was to protest alleged backlog of unpaid salaries owed the workers by the State Government.
Some public school pupils who could not gain access into their schools were forced to go back home.
Meanwhile, the State Government announced that public schools in the state had re-opened for classes Sept. 19.
“All our public schools have re-opened for classes; teachers are expected back in class too.
“The State Government does not owe any security guard directly employed by it, therefore, nobody can close the gates of the public schools.
The statement said that the security guards who shut down the entrances to schools were unknown to overnment.
“Those trying to bar our pupils from accessing their school premises do not have any contractual agreement with the state,’’ the statement said.
NAN checks at Port Harcourt Centenary School, St. Andrews Primary School and other schools showed that academic activities were going on.
The Head Teacher of Centenary Primary School, Mrs Charity Okachi, said that a total of 85 pupils reported on the first day of resumption.
“Teaching and learning have already commenced,’’ she stated. (NAN)