Abia Govt begs teachers to call off strike – www.cliptvonline.com ~

By Ugochukwu Alaribe – Umuahia

Abia state government has urged teachers in the state to resume classes, by March 1, 2020, saying that it had paid one million Naira between December 2020 and January 2021, to settle arrears of salaries, owed teachers in the state.

Teachers in the state had gone on an indefinite strike to press home the demand for the payment of arrears of salaries owed them.

Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, who disclosed this in a statement, explained that the government is committed to the payment of the outstanding arrears of salaries and urged the teachers to reciprocate the gesture by resuming duties on March 1.

Okiyi Kalu further explained that the government is also set to pay the Teachers’ Salary Structure, TSS, before the end of the week.

In his words; “The Abia State Government wishes to appreciate teachers in the State for their understanding in the processes we have initiated to clear the outstanding emoluments being owed them.

“To demonstrate our commitment to this cause, the government has already paid a total of N1.1bn in salary arrears to the teachers between December 2020 and now, and is set to further pay their TSS within the week.

“Based on the foregoing, we call on the teachers to reciprocate government gestures, and show a further sense of patriotism by returning to classes on March 1, 2021.”

The Commissioner added that the government is determined to improve the welfare of teachers in the state as agreed with them.