From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The Eastern Regional Working Committee of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), comprising the nine states of the defunct Eastern Region, has given Abia State Government condition that will be met before Schools in the state could resume.
Public primary and secondary Schools in Abia are yet to reopen for the continuation of the first term as a result of the industrial action by the state wing of NUT.
Speaking in Umuahia, when they came to solidarise with teachers in the state who have been on indefinite strike, the Regional Chairman who also doubles as the Chairman of NUT Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Etim Etim Ukpong demanded for the clearance of the 12 months arrears of salary as condition to call off the strike.
Ukpong called on the Abia State Government to quickly address the issues that led to the strike to save public education in the state from total collapse.
The Regional NUT leadership which endorsed the on-going strike, decried the plight of teachers in the state following months of unpaid wages.
Ukpong, who however acknowledged the efforts of the Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration to address the issues urged the governor to act fast as the on-going strike will not be called off until the accumulated salary arrears are cleared.
According to him, Senior Secondary School teachers in the state are owed 12 months while their counterparts in the junior Secondary School are owed for 11 months.
He said that similarly, public primary school teachers are owed for two months.
Ukpong identified non promotion of teachers for the past five years, non- payment of leave allowance for the past 10 years as some of the challenges that need to be addressed.