…WE WILL GO BACK TO THE CLASSROOM WITHOUT WASTE OF TIME –NUT CHAIRMAN
…PROMOTION BENEFIT ARREARS TO BE PAID BY DECEMBER- PERM SEC
By Abdullahi Muhammad, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has engaged the leadership of the FCT wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers that has embarked on a five-day warning strike to press home demands for enhanced security in schools and payment of arrears of promotion benefits for teachers.
The Minister who received the delegation in the office of the Minister was attended by the senior management officers of the FCTA and heads of some security agencies in the FCT.
The NUT leadership was briefed by heads of security agencies in the FCT made up of the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr Babaji Sunday, State Director of the DSS, Mr Ado Muazu and the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Dr Peter Maigari. They said measures were being taken to improve the security situation in schools.
On the strike action embarked upon by the NUT for the payment of arrears of promotion benefits for teachers for the years 2016-2018, the Minister informed the union members that the efforts will be made to pay all the promotion benefit arrears of the teachers before the end of the year, following the Permanent Secretary’s submission that all arrears for 2016 had already been paid and those for 2017 were scheduled for payment between November and December of 2021.
Speaking earlier, the NUT Chairman, Comrade Stephen Knabayi said that the Union appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and assurances from the FCT Minister that all efforts will be made to protect the lives and properties of teachers and students within the FCT.
He also expressed the appreciation of the union to the Minister for the pronouncement on the payment of promotion arrears of 2017 and 2018 before the end of the year.
Speaking on the return of teachers to the classroom, the NUT chairman said “from this meeting and from all the resolutions we will go back without waste of time”
He also appealed to the FCT Minister to intervene in the payment of arrears of LEA teachers under the administration of the Area Councils.
In a similar vein, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola said “it was agreed that for us in the FCT, the allowances of our teachers will be paid for 2017, since 2016 had already been paid and that consideration should also be given to prioritizing payment for those in the teaching profession of 2018 before the end of the year.