NUT To Embark On Strike, Kicks Against LG Autonomy

The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has said that it would embark on a strike action beginning from the next academic session to protest against the House of Representatives decision to grant autonomy to local government councils in the country.

The union said should autonomy be granted to local governments in the country, primary education in the country would collapse.

Speaking in Abuja during a press conference, NUT national president, comrade Michael Alogba Olukoya, said past experience had proved that local government authorities cannot fund primary education.

He said the union would not close its eyes against the approaching darkness that could soon envelope the country in the event of abolition of local government/state joint account where no alternative platform is provided for a stable primary education in Nigeria which would guarantee regular payment of primary school teachers’ salaries.

He said the NUT would prefer that local government handover completely the responsibility of paying the salaries of teachers to the state government or that teachers salaries be paid directly from the federation account, through the universal basic education commission.

He said, “We are submitting again that if the state joint local government account is scrapped, the resultant fallout shall be: non-payment of salaries of primary school teachers nationwide; non-remittance of 7.5 per cent counterpart contributions from local government councils to the pension funds of the primary school teachers and total collapse of the primary education in Nigeria consequent upon uncontrollable industrial actions that will ensue in all local government councils.

“We believe and hope that in line with our wide consultation and avowed interest of stakeholders in the development of the education sector as well as every other sector of our economy, the danger facing primary education in Nigeria would be appreciated in the midst of present circumstances.



Source: Leadership