The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) on Thursday called on the Bauchi Government to as a matter of urgency, resolve the contentious issues of the disengaged 2000 teachers in the state.
The NUT President, Mr Micheal Olukoya made the call while briefing newsmen on the face-off between the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the state wing of the NUT in Abuja.
“It should be recalled that Bauchi Universal Education Board
sometimes in December 2012, disengaged almost about 2000 primary school teachers on the inexcusable grounds of possessing a National Certificate of Education of the National Teachers Institution.
“All efforts to convince the Bauchi Government to appreciate that NTI as a federal institution legally established to train and
certify teachers in this regards fell on deaf ears.
“At the intervention of the Elders Forum in Bauchi, the state government accepted to verify the genuineness of the certificate.
“Yet till date, the teachers have not been recalled, even after the intervention of the elders and the National leadership of the union,’’ he said.
Olukoya said that the leadership of the union had made an attempt to meet with Gov. Isa Yuguda of Bauchi to amicably resolve the issue but was “rebuffed’’.
He said that payments of teachers’ salaries from January till date had been stopped while the state government had also impounded the union's dues.
Olukoya, therefore, called for a peaceful resolution of the contentious issues which included the return of the disengaged teachers back to the classroom, while the process of verification of their certificates continued.
He called for the immediate release of the salaries of all the teachers in the interest of equity, fairness and justice.
He also called for the release of the check-off dues of the NUT in compliance with the Trade Union Act of 2004.
The Trade Union Act stated that it is mandatory on employers to deduct check-off dues from workers wages and release same unconditional to the registered office of the union.
Olukoya said that the union was desirous of a quick end to the dispute and called on the state governor to grant the leadership of the union an immediate audience to dialogue ways of industrial peace in the sector.
The National leadership of the union assured teachers in the state that the union was doing everything possible to resolve all issues with the relevant authorities.
He commended the Bauchi state Elders Advisory Committee, state House of Assembly and the Nigerian Labour Congress state council for their efforts in fashioning out ways to resolve the issues. (NAN)