Enugu Public primary school teachers suspend indefinite strike

By EMMANUEL ACHA

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Enugu State has suspended the one month old strike by public primary school teachers in the state.

Recall that the NUT had in Circular No. 001/05/2022 dated May 6, 2022, directed public primary school teachers in the state to proceed on an indefinite strike.

According to the circular signed by the NUT Chairman and Secretary, Messrs Theophilus Odo and Macs Nnaji, respectively, the strike was due to the inability of the state government to pay the teachers the N30, 000 minimum wage.

According to the circular, the strike will continue until the state government starts payment of the new wage and its consequential adjustments to the primary school teachers.

However, in a letter with reference no. NUT/ENS/GH/04/573 dated June 8, 2022, signed by the duo and addressed to Enugu State Governor, the union said it had suspended the strike for just one month.

The letter, titled: ‘Notice of Suspension of Strike Action’, partly reads:

“The NUT in an emergency State Wing Executive meeting on June 7, 2022, took a critical look at your fatherly intervention in the circumstances surrounding the indefinite strike by primary school teachers in the state.

“Considering the promises made, thereto, the union unanimously resolved as a mark of due respect for Your Excellency, to suspend the strike action for one month with effect from June 8, 2022 as requested by you.

“The above timeframe is to enable Your Excellency give a befitting consideration to the minimum wage saga for primary school teachers in the state,” it stated.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had in February 2020 started the implementation of the new minimum wage in the state.

However, only workers in the core ministries of the state government and secondary school teachers were captured while others in Agencies and Departments and local government councils were left out. (NAN)