Bayelsa NUT threatens strike over salary arrears

Teachers in secondary and primary schools in Bayelsa State have vowed to commence an industrial action next week Monday if the state government failed to address issues bordering on their months of unpaid salaries.


The teachers under the auspices of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Bayelsa State chapter, have therefore given the Seriake Dickson administration a seven-day ultimatum beginning from Monday (this week).

The teachers said if on the expiration of the ultimatum on September 19, 2016, the government did not address the over six months salary arears, they would be left with no option but to embark on strike.



The teachers’ threat is contained in a communique reached after their emergency meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

They said the industrial action became inevitable after the 21-day ultimatum given by State Executive Council of the NUT to the government expired.

In the communiqué signed by the state chairman, NUT, Kalaama Toinpre, and Principal Secretary, Johnson Hector, the teachers said the government had only paid secondary school teachers January full salaries and a half month’s salaries.

As for the primary school teachers, they said the government had paid January full salaries and two months’ half salaries.

The communique reads in part, “Topmost of the issues in the communique include non-payment of salaries of primary and secondary school teachers for six months now.

“The issue of dismissal of teachers employed in 2008 and 2009 is another matter which has yet to be resolved. Also are the issues of the transfer of management and duty-post allowances to principals and head teachers, non-payment and non-implementation of promotions of primary school teachers in 2015.

“Other contentious issues are non-payment of N18,000 minimum wage arrears, non-provision of instructional materials and infrastructural facilities in schools.”