NUT dares Edo govt on school resumption, insists on strike
By The leadership of the Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Wednesday insisted that the industrial strike embarked on by public primary school teachers on January 18 is still on despite proposed plans by the state government to reopen schools.
The Edo NUT’s directive to its members to ignore the February 1, 2021 proposed resumption date was in reaction to the state government’s appeal to suspend the strike.
In a statement signed by Pius Okhueleigbe and Moni Mike, state chairman and assistant secretary general, respectively, in Benin City, the union said it has resolved to continue with the strike because the government was given ample time to meet its demands before the strike began.
The union said it was no longer willing to request for additional days from the state government, noting that while the strike persists, negotiation between the state government and the union can continue.
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“At the end of a very objective deliberation, the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) resolved to continue with the indefinite strike action that started on the 18 of January 2021 because SWEC was convinced that it had earlier allowed the State Government eight weeks to have the issues resolved before the commencement of the strike,” the NUT said.
Primary school teachers and heads of government-owned schools were earlier directed by the state chapter of NUT to embark on an indefinite strike following the state government’s inability to meet their demands.
Some of the demands include payment of the 2013 to 2015 promotion arrears of teachers in Oredo, Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode LGAs, and other welfare issues.