As reported by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Kwara State has expressed appreciation to the state government for the prompt payment of teachers' salaries. Speaking at the 2024 World Teachers' Day celebration in Ilorin on Saturday, the state NUT Chairman, Yusuf Agboola, praised the government for its commitment to teachers' welfare, particularly regarding cash-backing for promotions from 2021 and 2022 and the recent approval for promotions in 2023 and 2024.

However, Agboola highlighted ongoing challenges, including the improper implementation of some allowances. He specifically called attention to the 27.5 per cent Teachers Specific Allowance, which he noted has not been fully executed as expected.

Mr Agboola said, “This problem is peculiar to only Kwara in the entire federation, and we have the problem of non-implementation of November 2023 palliatives for teachers under the Teaching Service Commission. Also, there is the non-implementation of annual increment steps for State Universal Basic Education Board teachers, non- recruitment of more teachers for senior secondary schools in spite of massive retirements between 2022 and 2024.''

The NUT Kwara State chairman added that the state government had yet to implement the 65/40 years harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria.

In his remarks, Chairman, Kwara State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Muritala Olayinka, said efforts were ongoing with other stakeholders to ensure the new minimum wage's implementation.

”The committee set up by the state government is working round the clock to ensure that the new minimum wage is implemented. I, therefore, urge teachers in the state to exercise a little patience. At the end of the day, we will come out with something tangible that will make everybody smile,” he said.

Corroborating Mr Olayinka's comments, Chairman of the state SUBEB, Prof. Shehu Adaramaja, assured that teachers would be taken care of in the new minimum wage.

Represented by Abdullatef Solagberu, Mr Adaramaja said a committee had been inaugurated by the state government and the NUT was adequately represented.

(NAN)