Primary school teachers in Bayelsa threaten strike

Primary school teachers under the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, have threatened to begin a strike action at the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum given to the Bayelsa state government to resolve lingering issues with the union.

The 14-day ultimatum which was issued on January 13, 2021, will expire tomorrow.

The union regretted that the series of meetings with representatives of the state and councils held last year over the lingering issues of non-payment and implementation of N30,000 minimum wage, promotions and salary arrears owed primary school teachers and other critical issues bordering on welfare of teachers and public education in the state have not yielded fruit.

In a communiqué by the state Chairman of NUT, Kalaama Tonpre and Secretary, Johnson Hector, after an emergency State Wing Executive Council, SWEC, meeting in Yenagoa, the union expressed disappointment over government’s disregard for the series of negotiations and resolutions reached with the leadership of the union  to address the demands before December 2020.

In response, the state Commissioner for Education, Mr Gentle Emelah, said despite the fact that primary school teachers were the responsibility of the  councils, the state government was working to meet the agreements reached with the NUT, and appealed to the union to soft pedal in their ultimatum to government.