•Aregbesola
blames salary arrears on economic downturn
The House of
Representatives has summoned the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu over
the non-payment of some unity colleges’ salary arrears.
The Chairman
of the House Committee on Basic Education, Zakari Mohammed, disclosed this
yesterday in Abuja.
He said the
affected colleges, which recently called off their strike, deserved to be paid
their salaries and allowances.
Mohammed
said he would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the colleges live up to
the dreams of the founding fathers.
He promised
the aggrieved teachers that the committee would ensure that their outstanding
salaries and allowances were paid.
“We have
already dispatched a letter to the minister, inviting him to appear before us
and to also give him the mandate to look for funds to pay them, so that
academic activities could resume as soon as possible,” he said.
Mohammed
explained that funds were set-aside in the 2017 budget to ensure that perimeter
fencing is erected in 83 of the 109 Unity schools to prevent kidnappers, terrorists
and trespassers from gaining access.
He condemned
the abuse of the one per cent deduction from the consolidated revenue with the
Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to fund education.
He added
that his committee has commenced a nationwide oversight tour to ensure that
states that accessed the fund make judicious use of them.
Mohammed
commended the reintroduction of history in the school curriculum, noting that
the measure would equip the upcoming generation with the knowledge of the past
to ensure a united nation.
Meanwhile,
the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola has blamed economic downturn for the
non-payment of workers salaries in the state.
He disclosed
this at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Ila-Orangun when he attended the third
Synod of Osun North East Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).
The theme of
the synod, which was also attended by his deputy, Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori
was, “Did God Say So? A re-thinking of prophecies in the 21st Century Nigeria.”
He said: “It
is not for want of love, kindness and appreciation of welfare of workers that
we have not been able to fully pay the salaries and emoluments of workers. It
was the abnormality that befell our economy since 2013, particularly in meeting
the salaries, allowances and pensions of active and passive workers in the
state.
“We are
calling for prayer from everybody for God to empower our nation and strengthen
the economy, so that we can go back to where we started from.
He urged
youths to engage in farming as the era of free money has gone.
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