Unpaid Teachers Tackle Kwara Government On Salaries

The strike embarked upon by Primary and Junior Secondary School teachers in Kwara State has entered the third day, with no solution in sight.

The teachers union accused both the State and Local Governments of tossing them around over who owed them.

Reacting to the accusation, Kwara State Commissioner of Education, Musa Yeketi, claimed that it is the responsibility of the Local Government to pay the teachers, since they were employed by them.

The Commissioner also assured the striking teachers of plans of the state government to help in facilitating bank loans to offset the salary arrears.

Reacting to the issue, the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyiola Oyedepo, condemned what he called ‘usual practise of borrowing to offset salary arrears’.

Mr Oyedepo called for a stop in corruption in the Local Government, especially the over bloated staff and other vices which prevents the payments for months.

The state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, held a closed door meeting with labour leaders and Chairmen of the 16 Local Governments to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

At the end of the meeting, the state Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Abdul-Lateef Okandeji, briefed reporters, they resolved that the Local Governments should find way of growing their revenues and reduce their expenditures.