Plateau: Police bars Mangu’s primary school teachers from protesting none payment of salary arrears

 Gyang Bere, Jos

The teachers appealed to Governor Simon Lalong to direct the Chairman of Mangu Local Government Area, Hon. Lawrence Danat to pay the pending salary arears.

The teachers, on Wednesday attempted to stage a peaceful protest against the inability of the Mangu Local Government Area to pay their salaries arrears, but were prevented by the Police.

Daily Sun gathered that the predicament of the Teachers began in July this year when the local authority failed to pay them the July salary alongside other workers of the council.

Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Mangu branch, Isaac Dapul, while addressing members at the NUT hall Mangu after the aborted peaceful protest said efforts made to get chairman of the local authority Lawrence Danat to see reasons to pay them their salary arrears of August this year proves abortive.

Dapul disclosed that a meeting with chairman of the universal Basic Education Board, Prof. Mathew Sule, and the State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers Plateau state council,  Ayuba Gana to persuade the Council Chairman, Lawrence Danat to pay them the salary arrears met brick wall as he remained adamant in that direction.

Dapul wondered why teachers in that  local government Area be made to bear the brunt of what ever financial challenge the council may be facing even when  staff of other departments smiles home with their salaries each month.

He noted that since the chairman of the council is not ready to pay them their entitlements, he shouldnt have denied them the right to peaceful protest enshrined in sections thirty nine and fourty of the Nigerian constitution.

The Chairman appealed to Governor Lalong to direct Lawrence Danat to clear all impending salaries and allowances owed them just as other council chairmen who placed the interest of primary Education first among their priorities.

Also contributing some of the teachers Habila Sule, and Roseline Mangdik described the situation as segregatory and pathetic.

Reacting to the situation the council Chairmen, Hon. Lawrence Danat admitted that the council owe the teachers one month salary arrears which he intend to clear as soon as possible.

The chairman said already concerted efforts are on to secure funds to pay the teachers in no distant time.

Danat explained that his administration inherited a bad financial crisis which led to arrears but that it will soon be remedied, adding that he stalled the peaceful protest so as not to allow bad elements take the advantage to achieve selfish argrondisement.

He appealed to the teachers to sheath their swords as they will be paid their arrears soon.