Kwara Govt Seeks N1.5b Loan To Settle Teachers’ Salary

Kwara State is in a bid to secure loan to the tune of N1.5 billion to pay off salaries of teachers, Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Musa Yaketi, disclosed to News Agency of Nigeria today in Ilorin the state capital.

According to Yekiti, the state had already secure a loan of N4.8 billion from Sterling Bank, part of which was used to pay the first tranche of the salary, remaining three months arrears.

The commissioner appealed to teachers across the state to suspend the strike, in the interest of their pupils, adding that the issue of salary was beyond redemption, as no money is coming in.

NAN reports that the indefinite strike has entered its second week, with the resolution from the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) not to go back to work until their salaries were fully paid.

NUT chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Musa told NAN the concerned teachers have been directed to remain at home until further instruction from the union.

Musa said that teachers cannot adequately impact knowledge on the students with empty stomach.

“There is no way the hungry teachers could deliver effectively, it is better for teachers to remain at home until the government is capable of paying them,’’ the NUT boss said.

“Non-payment of salaries is like the case of a labourer going to farm with empty stomach, there is the possibility that he would not be able to perform”, he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Muideen Akorede, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor, told NAN that the delay in payment of salaries was due to shortfall in monthly allocation to the state.

“In Kwara, this has resulted in some delays, especially at the local government level.

“This has led to wrong speculation that the state government interferes with LG funds; this is untrue,” Akorede added.

Kwara teachers begin indefinite strike over non-payment of salaries

Teachers in public primary and Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in Kwara state yesterday went on strike despite pleas from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The teachers started the indefinite strike action yesterday over unpaid three months salaries.
Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) classes went on as usual because the state government did not owe SSS teachers.

Speaking with journalists, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Alhaji Abubakar Musa, said the strike hd to take place due to non payment of October, November and December 2015 salary of the affected teachers.

He said:

“There is no way the hungry teachers could deliver effectively, it is better for teachers to stay at home until the Government is capable of paying them.” he said.

The Kwara state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has appealed to the striking teachers to suspend the strike.

In a release by its Publicity secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, said:

“As a party, we wish to state that we feel the concerns and share in the pains of primary school teachers in Kwara State. Quite unfortunate, this issue is chiefly caused by the dwindling allocation from the federation account.

“Therefore, it is not about non-payment of teachers’ salaries but non-availability of funds to pay salaries. It requires collective efforts to address rather than strike action, if the resources are available today, the Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed-led Kwara State Government will pay all teachers like it has always done in the past five years.”