The
Senate has urged the Federal Government to enter into negotiations with state
governments for the payment of salary arrears owed teachers across the country.
This
followed a motion by the Chairman, Committee on Federal Capital Territory
(FCT), Sen. Dino Melaye, at plenary on Tuesday.
The
senate also urged the federal, states and local governments to begin the
implementation of a priority expenditure scheme that put the payment of
teachers’ salaries in the same range as security.
Leading
debate on the motion, Melaye expressed worry over non-payment of teachers
across the country, describing it as unacceptable.
He
decried the non-utilisation of the bailout fund given to the states by the
Federal Government and warned against the resultant effect of a nationwide
teachers strike.
Supporting
the motion, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, said that teachers
should be paid as at and when due.
“We
have to change our perception that teachers reward is in heaven; we need to
discourage this attitude.
“We
should rise to condemn the continuous owing of teachers. Why should teachers’
salary be the last to be paid,’’ he said.
Sen.
Jeremiah Useni (PDP Plateau) stressed the need to make teachers’ salaries a
priority of government, adding that teachers were the engine room of
development in any country and should not be played with.
In
his remarks, President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, urged the Federal
Government to urgently address the lingering salary problem of teachers across
the country. (NAN)
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