Be Ready To Forfeit Salaries For Duration Of Strike, Benue Gov Tells Teachers, BSU Lecturers

Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam has threatened a no-work no-pay policy against striking primary school teachers and the striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Benue State University, BSU, chapter. Primary school teachers in the state had embarked on an industrial action a fortnight ago as part of efforts to press home their demands for improved salaries. Suswam made the position of the state government known weekend in a funeral oration he delivered at the burial of elder statesman, Nenger Utim at Ugba, headquarters of Logo Local Government Area of the state. According to the governor, “Primary school teachers and BSU lecturers should return to the classrooms or be prepared to forfeit their salaries for the duration of the strike. “I am ready to wield the big stick this time and I am prepared for the consequences that may arise from that action. “They must know that if the strike drags on, I will not pay any of them arrears of salaries for the period they abandoned the classrooms. “What they are doing is unacceptable and unfair to our people because today no teacher in Benue State earns less than N18,000 as salary and lecturers of BSU are also enjoying their earned allowances. “What is then the basis of their action and decision to abandon their duty posts when we all know that the state government commenced the payment of the minimum wage to teachers few months ago despite our dwindling income? “Well, we cannot sit down and watch helplessly while some persons try to frustrate the efforts of government to develop our education sector despite obvious challenges,” Suswan said. He therefore urged parents, traditional rulers, the clergy as well as other well meaning people of the state to appeal to the striking teachers and university lecturers to return to the classrooms.