May 01, (THEWILL) – The four days industrial action embarked upon by public primary and secondary school teachers in Akwa Ibom State was, on Monday, called off.
The decision to call off the strike came on the heels of resolutions reached by the State Government and the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) at the end of a closed-door meeting held late Sunday evening and presided over by the State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, at Government House, Uyo, the state capital.
Briefing correspondents after the meeting, Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Development, Mr. Aniefiok Nkom, disclosed that the government and the labour leaders have dialogued to a compromise on the issues that gave rise to the industrial action and described the resolution as a win-win outcome.
“It was a very peaceful meeting. The Governor saw what needed to be done and the NLC also saw what was delaying the process. So, it was a win-win situation and the matters enumerated by NUT Chairman have been resolved,” Nkom stated.
On her part, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet, expressed gratitude to Governor Emmanuel for taking prompt actions to ensure that schools in the state resume with immediate effect.
According to her, the quick resolution was indicative of the premium Governor Emmanuel places on education and his workers-friendly disposition.
Confirming the resolution, the State Chairman of NUT, Comrade Edet Emenyi, lauded the Governor’s disposition towards the teachers, assuring that teachers would return to classrooms for the commencement of academic activities on Tuesday, after the May Day workers’ holiday.
Emenyi said, “Issues bothering on teachers’ welfare and non-payment of allowances have been resolved today.
“On that note, the teeming teachers in Akwa Ibom State are ready to call off the strike”
The State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Sunny James, who was also present at the meeting, expressed the solidarity of Akwa Ibom workers with the teachers, saying that the teachers’ demand for unpaid entitlements including leave grants, refund of 7.5% deductions for contributory pension and other issues were extensively deliberated upon and resolved accordingly.
He, therefore, expressed appreciation to the Governor for his prompt response to the teachers’ demands, maintaining that the resolution would pave way for NUT to join other sectors of the state workforce in the celebration of the 2023 Workers’ Day.
