NUT CRIPPLE ACADEMICS ACTIVITIES IN AKWA IM STATE, DECLARES INDEFINITE STRIKE

The leadership of Nigeria Union of teachers (NUT), Akwa Ibom State wing has declared an indefinite strike action against the state government with effect from midnight of today Tuesday 15th March.

In a release signed by the Senior State Secretary of the union, Comrade Victor O. Amirize and made available to Ibomchronille.blogspot.com, the NUT ordered all primary and secondary school teachers in public schools to precede on an indefinite strike action. According to the release, the resolution was taken after all avenues of negotiation and amicable resolutions failed on the part of the State government, adding that the government could not address the demands of the teachers after twenty-one working days and subsequent seven days ultimatum given by the union to government. It stressed that the government’s promise of payment of one year leave grant on compassionate ground and completion of payment of one-month minimum wage arrears to primary school teachers could not be actualized.

The union further noted that the demands of the teachers are, Refund of seven and half percent contributory pension to primary school teachers, payment of gratuity /harmonization  of pension to retired teachers, payment of 2013 to 2021 leave grant to primary school teachers, payment of promotion arrears for six years, 2011 to 2016 to primary school teachers, release of 2017, 2018 promotion exercise conducted by SUBEB, immediate commencement of 2019, 2020, 2021 promotion exercise and appointment of teachers as Permanent secretaries, adding that Akwa Ibom State government teachers amnesty  programme should be re-opened  to cover the teachers that were cut off during the last amnesty programme, and promotion result of teachers who attended the last promotion exercise as at 2020 should be released  without recourse to pass in the administrative professional officer compulsory examination (APOCE)  as this was  not demanded for at the point of the interview.

 The NUT however appealed to both parents, pupils and students and the general public for understanding as the government’s insensitivity to the teachers’ plight has pushed them to this level, stressing that no teacher should be involved in any activities in the school till further notice.