Governor of Ebonyi State, Eng. Dave Umahi(right); Commissioner for Education, Prof. John Eke(centre) and an official of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers during the celebration of this year’s Teachers Day in Abakaliki on Monday
Governor of Ebonyi State, Eng. Dave Umahi(right); Commissioner for Education, Prof. John Eke(centre) and an official of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers during the celebration of this year’s Teachers Day in Abakaliki on Monday
The love for, and appreciation of teachers in the process of nation building was demonstrated in fullness at the Abakaliki township stadium,as the governor of Ebonyi State,Engr.David Umahi, was physically present to take teachers salute during this year’s Teachers Day celebration.
Addressing the teachers on Monday, Umahi, said he was very fortunate to have one his teachers present at the event.
He said, “I am fortunate to have one of my teachers still alive,that is Mrs Franca Egwu, who is now the secretary of our state’s secondary education board.
‘She was very hard when it came to discipline. I got plenty of strokes of the cane from her.
“But today, I am very happy. By the special grace of God,I was able to measure up in the strata of life I found myself.”
Before Umahi spoke, the teachers condemned alleged discrepancies and irregularities that characterize the payment of their salaries.
They said the discrepancies were an ill wind that undermines the efforts of the state government in the realisation of its policy on education and the agonizes of their families.
Their chairman in the state , Comrade Joseph Nweke, called on the state government to urgently address the matter.
He noted that there were disparities in the salaries paid to teachers in the month of February, May and June this year which he described as worrisome.
Nweke also condemned the non-implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teachers Enhancement Allowance (TEA) by the state government and the non-payment of September 2011 salaries owed Secondary School teachers.
‘’It is embarrassing that these salaries are still with-held even when other workers in the state civil and public service have been paid as far back as April, 2015’’, he said.
But Eng. Umahi, who described teachers as very important in child upbringing and nation building, promised to tackle their problems.
He said there should be no reason for salary discrepancies in the state civil and public service.
The governor consequently set-up a committee to investigate the non-payment of the September 2011 teachers salaries and directed the committee to report back to him within 10 days.
