TEACHERS SALARIES: WHY YOU SHOULD'NT BLAME THE STATE GOVERNMENT
BY OSSAI OVIE SUCCESS.

For long now, the general public has been fed with false information regarding the payment of Primary School Teachers salaries. Let the truth be told, the state government is not responsible for payment of primary school teachers. It is very unfortunate that the NUT leaders are not telling the truth rather going about deceiving the general public. In a society like ours, only the truth can set a man free.

Primary school teachers are not supposed to be paid by the state government, the state government since Gov Okowa assumed office as the Executive Governor has been assisting the local government councils in the state regarding the payment of primary school teachers .

Recently I was at the meeting between the State Governor and the State Chapter of the Trade Union Congress where Gov. Okowa passionately explained the true situation to them.

According to Gov. Okowa "When the allocation going to local government councils was moved from 10percent to a little over 20.6percent, the primary school teachers moved to the local government councils and the state allocation which was over 30percent was then reduced to 20percent; the state never stopped assisting when there is money to offer an assistance to the councils"

From the above statement by Gov Okowa, it is clear that the state government from the little allocation have been assisting the Councils in making sure that teachers salaries are been paid. In 2015, Governor Okowa released a grant of N3.26bn from the bailout funds to the Councils to pay part of the salaries of teachers and Local government employees.

The fact that the teachers are been owed salaries from January till date does not mean the State government should be held responsible .

According to Gov Okowa at the meeting, he said "government has fulfilled all its obligation to the secondary school teachers, Senator Okowa said that government has assisted the Local Government Councils over the years with various sums of money to augment the payment of salaries."

I will not forget Sapele Local Government Council Chairman Hon Ejaife Odebala Statement regarding the teachers strike .

According to Odebala "During previous administrations in Delta, there was no recession. Now there is not enough funds coming in to meet the basic salary responsibilities of the state. It is not caused by Okowa.

"When the money is available, they will be paid. The teachers union are highly unreasonable in thier strike action and all true deltans must criticize it. Local government allocation has beeen consistently used to pay salary of primary school teachers and not paying local government workers. Local government workers are owed over 10 months salary and they are dying everyday.

"The joint allocation account committee decided now that fund should be used for now on pro rata basis to pay primary school teachers and local government workers as the money can cover. And when there is improved funding, the balance will be repaid back.

"That both local government and primary school teachers should receive 81% of thier salary for now. The teachers said no. That they must have 100%. And the local government workers should have zero. This position should not be allowed to continue as the primary school teachers and the local government workers go to the same market and send thier children to the same schools. The money is not got by Okowa and he refused to bring it out. "

Let's also take a look at Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Delta State chapter led by Sir Ithiako Ikpokpo statement

According to ALGON, " It is common knowledge that the present state of the nation’s economy has adversely affected the monthly allocation and other revenues of the local governments. It is important to note that primary school teachers and staff of the Local Government are beneficiaries of the statutory allocations of the local government.
“Whereas, primary school teachers, in the midst of the meagre allocation have consistently had their salaries deducted at source, local government staff have on the other hand, been faced with several months of non-payment of their salaries, not minding the fact that local government staff go to the same market and attend to same educational and health needs like their primary school counterparts.
“It is in the light of this obvious imbalance and the unimaginable hardship confronting staff of the local government, that ALGON, in consultation with the Joint Account Allocation Committee, JAAC, and other important stakeholders agreed on a pro-rata payment of salary for both primary school teachers and local government staff. “It is therefore, incorrect for the state wing Executive Council of NUT to accuse JAAC of reducing teachers’ salaries to 81 per cent as stated in its communique of March 2, 2017.

“For the records, the pro- rata salary arrangement is a proportional payment of salaries across board. As the allocation of the local government continues to increase, issues of prompt and full payment of salaries would be given due and proper attention.”

With all theses fact, it will not be fair for anyone to blame the state government led by Gov Okowa. Gov. Okowa has tried and should be commended for his love towards the State Workers at all levels.

It is on this note that i am urging the State NUT to do justice to the strike by calling off the strike in order for our pupils and students to study. They shouldn't be the hindrance to the success and brighter future of our children.

Let's embrace peace and support the State Government led by Gov. Okowa.

Thank you and God bless you all for your time.

OSSAI OVIE SUCCESS IS THE POLITICAL AIDE ON SPECIAL DUTIES MEDIA TO DELTA STATE GOVERNOR .

how come edo state with less allocation from fg pay their teachers

And they want teachers to put in their best ,when one senator is collecting *100 of the teachers salaries

First of all the states control local government revenue since they are not independent ...so this excuses are not holding water

We all know that delta state is among the first four state thay recieves the highest allocation in Nigeria. Why does okowa want to reduce their salary to 81%? The salary Is not even enough, yet he wants to reduce it. Primary school teachers should be treated well.

can anything good come out of pdp?gang of looters