Nasarawa State Teachers begin indefinite strike

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nasarawa State Chapter, has embarked on an indefinite strike action over payment of its salaries in percentages by the various Local Government Areas in the State.
The state Chairman of the union Comrade Jatau Francis, who spoke to journalists during a peaceful rally in Lafia, to mark the commencement of the strike on Monday, said the strike has been long overdue.
He explained that, since January 2015, teachers in the state have been receiving salaries on percentages thereby making it difficult to fend for their needs.

He lamented that previous payments made in percentages did not service the needs of teachers in the state, hence, the need for government to clear all outstanding payments of salaries.
Jatau decried that, primary school teachers in the state are dying of heart attack due to the percentage payments of salaries.

“Government started paying 80 per cent salaries, later they moved to 50 per cent salaries and now we are receiving 25 per cent of our salaries. This is wickedness”, he said.

The Chairman also demanded for the immediate return of teachers salaries to the State’s Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), for onward payment to teachers as spelt out in the Universal Basic Education Law 2005 and not Local Government Councils.

Comrade Jatau added that, private schools in the state would be asked to join the strike in two weeks if nothing is done to resolve the industrial dispute.

Reacting to the workers protest, the Acting Chairman of  SUBEB, Yakubu Ahmed Ubangari, said, he will take their complaint to the state governor.

Nigerian Tribune reports that, the NUT is the fourth union embarking on strike action over unpaid salaries and percentage payment in the state since June, 2016.