Non-payment of salary: Ebonyi commissioner orders arrest of protesting teachers
Over 3,000 teachers across the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State on Sunday took to the streets of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, over non-payment of three months salary and minimum wage by council chairmen in the state.
The teachers passed a vote of no confidence on the 13 local government Chairmen in the state, alleging that the non-payment of the salaries caused the sudden death of about three teachers on Christmas day.
Recall that the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, had a few days ago given twenty four hours ultimatum for the council Chairmen to pay teachers their salaries to enable them celebrate Christmas like other workers in the state.
It was learnt that the local government area council chairmen did not obey the governor’s directives for close to one week.
The protesting local government teachers in their large numbers barricaded the entrance of the Akanu-Ibiam International Conference Centre, ICC, and that of Onwe Road, thereby preventing road users for more than three hours.
They were carrying placards with various inscriptions: “we are dying of hunger and starvation, Tell local government area chairmen to pay us our 3 months salaries, UBEB teachers are suffering because of no payment of salaries, pay us bonus for Christmas and minimum wage.”
One of the protesters, Mrs. Udu Nnenna who spoke to newsmen at the venue said: “we are here because for the past three months, we have not received our salaries.
“No bonus, no minimum wage, no arrears, no promotional increment, nothing for us for the past three months.
“Everyday, they will call us to come for screening, yet after that, no payment of salaries and we are dying gradually.
“If they don’t pay us, they should leave us to stay in our houses peacefully. How can we be using the little we have to pay for transport to come for screening?”
Another protester who spoke to newsmen on anonymity said: “We are the UBEB teachers, we have not been paid for three months.
“We have been hungry for three months. Our members are dying everyday because of the refusal by local government area chairmen to pay us our salaries.
“They have paid SEB teachers three months, including minimum wage and Christmas bonus, but UBEB teachers have not been paid. We are hungry and that’s why we are angry and protesting.”
Meanwhile, the commissioner for education in Ebonyi state, Mr. Paul Awo Nwabosi who met the leader of the protesters, threatened to deal with him.
Instead of addressing the protesting teachers, the commissioner ordered the arrest of their leaders and they were forced into a stationed Hilux van.
When DAILY POST approached the commissioner for further reaction, it was unsuccessful as he quickly entered into his Hilux van and zoomed off.
Also, the chairman of ALGON, Ebonyi State chapter, Mr. Chinedu Uburu, when contacted for reaction on phone, did not pick several calls put across to him as of the time of filing this report.5
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