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Abia teachers plan ‘new year gift’ for Ikpeazu over 15-month unpaid salaries

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Barring last minute resolution of issues, secondary and primary school teachers in Abia State have vowed to shut down all public schools in the state, in the new year due to unpaid salary arrears of 15 months.

The leadership of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) had early in December warned Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, of the impending shut down of schools over the non-payment of 15 months salary arrears, owed primary and secondary school teachers.

Thisday reports that in a letter titled: “The Plight of Teachers in Abia State”, dated December 2, 2020 and signed by the NUT President, Dr Nadir Idris and the General Secretary, Dr Mike Ike Ene, the union gave Ikpeazu 21 days to clear the salary arrears or risk indefinite closure of schools.

But with no sign of positive response yet from the governor, the state leadership of NUT has started mobilising for the indefinite strike as schools prepare to reopen for the Christmas and new year holidays.

The NUT national leadership had in wading into the plight of Abia teachers, expressed frustration and disappointment over serial breach of agreements reached with the state government to end the sufferings of their members in the state.

According to the NUT, the government of Abia State has continued to inflict sufferings and hardships on its members following its persistent failure to honour agreements with teachers since 2017.

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The teachers’ leadership also demanded that government should immediately offset other allowances owed secondary and basic school teachers in the state.

It was gathered that the leadership of the state wing of NUT had held “crucial” meetings and with its counterparts at the local government areas on December 16 and 17, 2020 in Umuahia, to perfect plans for the strike dubbed, “mother of all strikes”.

Similar meetings were also said to have held at the local government education authority branches of the union, during which teachers were put on readiness for the impending industrial crisis.

They said the strike would be served on the state governor as a new year gift, for not listening to the cries of teachers in government employment.

The issue of arrears of teachers’ salaries in Abia has continued to swirl in controversy as government has often differed with teachers on the number of months of outstanding salaries and the category of teachers being owed.

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