NUT says 13 states owe teachers salary arrears, appeals for payment

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), on Tuesday, said that 13 state governments were still owing primary and secondary school teachers various months of salary arrears and urged them to pay.

Dr Mike Ike-Ene, the acting Secretary-General of the union, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that previously, 19 states owed, but some states had paid, except 13.

According to him, the states owing are Ogun, Imo, Oyo, Abia, Kogi, Benue, Zamfara, Taraba, Plateau, Osun, Benue and Bayelsa states, among others.

He added that Benue owes heavily as it was about the worst.

Ike-Ene explained that the union expected the affected states to use the window of the long vacation to pay these teachers, but only few states like Anambra and Akwa-Ibom states, among others, complied.

He, therefore, lauded those states that ensured that the welfare of the teachers were paramount and also encouraged others to do same.

“It may interest you to know that few weeks back at Ibadan, we reappraised the way our teachers are being owed; about 19 states visibly owed our teachers various forms of money.

“Ranging from salaries to gratuity for many months; some two months to one year and about 28 states are paying salaries in percentages.

“We requested government to use the window of the long vacation to pay these teacher s.

“But it might surprise you to know that states like Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Kano and Rivers collected N10 billion Paris Club fund each, including others.

“Yet some of the states could not use this money to offset the teachers’ outstanding salary arrears,’’ he said.

Ike-Ene commended the teachers for their perseverance urging them to continue to do their best.

“I just want to use this medium to thank all our teachers in primary and secondary schools throughout the period and further encourage them to do continue to do their best .’’

He also appealed to the government to pay the outstanding salary arrears, saying that if every effort to settle peacefully fails the union would have no option than embark on industrial action.