Niger Teachers Accuse Govt of Deceitful Agreements

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Niger State wing, yesterday accused the state government of going into “deceitful agreements” with the union which led to the calling off of the recent strike embarked upon by its members to press home their demand for improved conditions of service.

The union also lamented that the government was aware it would not honour its part of the agreements, but hoodwinked the union leaders into going into the bargain.

The Principal Assistant Secretary of the union, Labaran Garba, who made the accusation while moving the votes of thanks at the end of activities to mark this year’s World Teachers Day celebration in Minna, also accused the government and it’s officials of being “heartless and insensitive” to the plights of its workers, especially the teachers.

Garba said: “We are gradually being pushed to the wall; we will revolt soon, and very soon, we shall clear all hurdles to reach where we want to be.”

Not sparing some of its members, who have become politicians and political appointees, who represented their principals at the ceremony, Garba described them as “heartless leaders,” who have refused to rescue teachers from poverty, adding that they have taken delight in globetrotting at the expense of teachers and workers in the state.

The union boss described as inhuman the present situation in the state where local government staff members were being paid their salaries in percentages, saying despite the cry of ‘no money’ some government officials still have money to travel around the world.

Earlier, the state Chairman of the NUT, Akayago Adamu Mohammed, had appealed to the state government to declare October 5 annually as a public holiday for primary and post-primary schools in the state, and “release circulars to that effect to schools in good time,” which he said would go a long way “ to buttress the love, interest and concern this administration has for teachers and the educational system in the state.”

Akayago said the next celebration should be used as “exhibition day for education materials by directing all schools in the state to present any innovative educational materials, educational journal, instructional materials, and publications by pupils, students and teachers.

“It is our believe that if this is given positive consideration, the lost glory, respect, dignity and reputation of the teaching profession and teachers in particular will be boosted.”

The guest lecturer and former state Commissioner for Education, Dr. Mustapha Lemu, said in his presentation that “education is the heart of development, and only education can take you to the top.” In the lecture titled: ‘Teachers at the Heart of Education Recovery’, Lemu submitted that: “If Nigeria wants to be better, it has to focus on education, because if we neglect education, we will fail.”