Federal Government Teachers Protest In Ibadan

TEACHERS numbering about 15,000 from three South Western states, under the Federal Teachers’ Scheme, on Monday, protested on major roads in Ibadan, Oyo State, over non-payment of their salaries running into millions of naira by the Universal Basic Education commission (UBEC).

The teachers, led by Miss Lawal Bukola and Mr Obayomi Gideon, marched through Dugbe, Agodi Gate and later came to the state secretariat of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mokola roundabout, Ibadan.

Some of the placards on display had various inscriptions pleading with the commission to ensure payment of the backlog of their salaries.

They complained that the commission was owing them about N2. 6 billion.

According to them, the commission has been paying them N18,000 minimum wage despite the fact that some of them hold university degrees, adding that the last payment was made in September 2014.

When asked why they allowed the unpaid salaries to accumulate before crying out, they explained that since inception, their salaries were always paid in arrears of three and six months.

 The aggrieved teachers further complained that “the payment of the allowances has not been regular since the beginning of the scheme in 2013.

“We were paid a month allowance in December 2013. Then we had to wait till July 2014 before we got another payment which was, in our calculation, arrears of six months allowance.

“Shortly after then, we were also paid another three months allowance in December 2014, while some states were excluded. Since then, we have been waiting hopelessly to be paid.”