Delta teachers’ strike: Truce at last; NUT calls of strike, teachers resume work Monday

Truce has finally returned, easing the face-off between teachers under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Teacher (NUT) as the NUT this morning, Friday, 24/3/2017 called-off its strike with a directive to all secondary and primary school teachers in the State to resume work in the classrooms on Monday.

The decision to end the strike is the outcome of an emergency meeting of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the Nut that held Friday morning made in a communiqué signed by the NUT Chairman, Comrade Jemirieyigbe, Publicity secretary Comrade A.L. Okogba d State secretary Comrade Joe Iyalekhue.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa

The Communique stated that the SWEC meeting was convened to appraise the on-going strike action of primary and secondary school teachers in the state. It declared:

“SWEC –in- session expressed satisfaction with the resolutions reached at the Unio/Government meeting reached in Warri the previous day.

“Consequently, SWEC-in-session resolved to suspend the strike action  with immediate effect, and hereby directs all teachers in public primary and secondary schools to resume work with effect from Monday, 27^th March, 2017”.

The NUT commended the friendly disposition of Governor Okowa in the amicable resolution of the issues, and also appreciated all its members for the solidarity demonstrated while the strike lasted.

The communiqué listed the following as the resolutions reached at the end of the meeting between Government, that included Governor Okowa, NLC and representatives of the NUT:

·         That the December 2016 salaries of primary school teachers be paid in full by next week.

·         That the Office of the S.A. Labour and the Nigeria Union of Teachers should liaise with the Accountant General and PPEB to ensure that the issue of Inter-cadre Transfer of secondary school teachers is treated with dispatch.

·         That a committee of PPEB and the NUT be set up by S.A. Labour to correct the anomalies in the conversion of secondary school teachers that led to their down-grading and other issues affecting the implementation of promotions.

·         That SUBEB through INFOSEC should immediately commence refund to the erroneously down-graded primary school teachers that have been cleared. That INFOSEC should double its efforts to complete the entire exercise within the shortest possible time.

·         That all released promotions of 2016 primary school teachers be implemented in January 2017 salary, while that of PPEB be completed immediately. Similarly, all previously released promotions of 2014 and 2015 be fully implemented for the affected primary and secondary school teachers.

·         That the State Government has released and will continue to release funds to the state Pension Bureau and the Local Government Pension Bureau to settle arrears of pension and retired secondary and primary school teachers respectively.

·         That no member of the Union will be victimized or punished for the role he/she played during the strike action.

The communiqué of the resolution of the meeting with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa held at the Government House Annex, Warri was signed by Comrade Mike Okeme for His Excellency, Comrade Ofuonyeadi Innocent for NLC, Comrade J.O. Jemirieigbe and Comrade Joe Iyalekhue.