Quote from Sunday on ,

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Niger State branch, has declared an indefinite strike from May 4, 2021.

The union in a statement made available to journalists in Minna yesterday stated that the declaration of the strike followed the resolution by the state Working Executive Committee of the NUT held on April 30, 2021, during which the inability of the state government to meet the demands of the organisation after it suspended a previous strike that took place last February was considered.

The statement was jointly signed by the state Chairman of the union, Ibrahim Umar; the NUT Principal Assistant Secretary-General, Labaran Garba; ANCOPS state President, Ahmed Jafaar, and OPSHON Chairperson, Fatima Abdullahi Kutigi.

Among the demands of the union are: the immediate implementation of N30,000 minimum wage for primary school teachers on grade level 7 and above; payment of October 2020 salaries to primary school teachers and refund of salary cut for April 2021 to all teachers.

According to the statement, the union also demanded the immediate refund of five months end-well scheme, outstanding members’ deductions and union dues/check off dues as well as the provision of security guards to all schools in the state.

“The attention of the union has also been drawn to the fact that 70 percent will be paid to primary school teachers as salaries for the month of April. This development is hereby rejected by the union, as it will only accept 100 percent salary payment,” the statement added.

The union noted further that teachers at all levels in the state have always been treated as second class citizens, stressing that the situation will not be allowed to continue anymore.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the state Commissioner for Education, Hajia Hannatu Jibrin Salihu, to comment on the issue proved abortive.