The Abia State Government (ABSG) has denounced a number of false claims that attack the state government and declared that there is no need for teachers in the state to go on strike.
Given that their 14-day ultimatum to the state government addressing their welfare expires today, Wednesday, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the state intends to go on strike tomorrow, Thursday.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, made this known on Tuesday while briefing journalists at Government House on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting, presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
He said the meeting was still going on and that the State Executive Council had instructed Elder Goodluck Ubochi, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, to meet with the Nigeria Union of Teachers.
The Commissioner acknowledged that a section of teachers was dissatisfied with certain issues concerning their remuneration, noting that the matter was being addressed. He stated, “There is this news that has been trending on social media about an impending strike by Abia teachers.
“Yes, we have a section of teachers who are not happy with certain issues concerning their remuneration, owing partly to some differentials between the salaries of primary school teachers and their counterparts in junior secondary schools,” Prince Kanu explained.
The State Executive Council, according to Prince Kanu, is worried that the matter has been exaggerated, perhaps by the opposition. He emphasised that the government is among the first to adopt the new national minimum wage policy of N70,000 and that it regularly pays salaries to Abia employees and pensioners.
He further stated other incentives provided to teachers by the Dr Otti-led administration, stating, “As part of incentives to encourage teachers who fled the classrooms for the civil service when the past administration was not paying them their salaries, the Executive Council came up with the idea of paying some discriminatory compensation packages to such teachers. It didn’t stop at that; it also increased the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.
“All these were deliberate and intentional policies aimed at achieving a purpose: to encourage and motivate the teachers and to encourage those who left the classroom for the civil service to return when it appeared we were lacking teachers. So, it is a no-brainer for some group of people to latch onto that to accuse the state government of not prioritising teachers’ welfare.”
In order to deceive the public about the Governor’s performance, the opposition is reportedly behind the propagation of malicious and bogus news on social media platforms, the Commissioner stated. He cautioned the offending party.
He stated, “They have resorted to saying things the Governor never said or ordinarily would never say because of who he is and what he represents.
“At times, they have tried to say things that would pitch the federal government or certain ethnic nationalities in the country against the Governor and his administration. More often than not, we have chosen to ignore them in their macabre dance and pastime as harbingers of fake news.
“Let me remind the naysayers that this administration is not averse to constructive criticism. What this government frowns upon, including all right-thinking and patriotic Abians, is the recourse to fake news. Let it be put on record that at the outset of this administration, the Governor promised to bring hope and help to Abians. In the last 23 months, this administration has given Abians more than hope. He has substantially delivered on a new Abia.
“The state government may not yet be where it desires to be, but it is worth noting that in 23 months, quite a lot has been done, and there is still much more to be done, given the commitment of this administration. The opposition is so piqued that they couldn’t achieve in 24 years what this administration has done in 23 months.”
About 2,300 teachers throughout the state received training centred on 21st-century competency-based learning as part of the completion of phase two of the teacher training program as part of reforms in the education sector, the Commissioner reported.
He added that, in health, the Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Technology has received accreditation in several course areas, including Community Health Technology, Public Health Technology, Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), and Health Technology.
Prince Kanu also disclosed that the Ministry of Power and Public Utilities has completed the installation of a 60 KWP solar power project and computer-based training centre at Isialangwa South LGA as part of the government’s deliberate policy to spread development across communities in the state. He noted that the Ministry’s ongoing rural water projects in Umuahia North, Isialangwa South, and Arochukwu are progressing well.
The Commissioner further announced that, on Thursday this week, the state government would host stakeholders at an Abia State Start-Up Forum in collaboration with the German Organisation for International Cooperation. He added that the event, which aims to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute ideas on how the state can promote and encourage technology start-ups, would be held in Umuahia.
