Date: 2018-09-12

Primary and secondary school teachers across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State, yesterday, protested four months unpaid salaries and threatened not to resume on Monday, if they are not paid.

The teachers, who went around Post Office, Unity, Taiwo and other major parts of the state capital, said the protest became necessary as 10 of their colleagues died as they were unable to pay their medical bills.

Deceased teachers

They listed the dead to include Mrs Oyedepo Funke, Asa Local Government; Mrs Bola Ajeigbe, Ilorin South; Mr. Isaiah Adio, Moro; Mallam Abdulrahman, Imam Ilorin West; Mallam Akanni Kareem, Moro, among others.

Their spokesman, Mallam Abubakar Abdulwha’ab, told journalists, "we have been patient enough. Our people are dying. How do you expect a hungry teacher to go to the class and discharge his duties effectively?

"We heard that President Muhammadu Buhari gave out Paris Club bailout to the states. The President later said to the governors, 'I wonder why you governors can sleep with all eyes closed while your workers are dying of hunger'.

"Kwara SUBEB teachers have turned to beggars. We implore the Kwara State Governor, and the Senate President to come to our aid. If they do not pay us, we will not resume academic activities. We are tired.

"We have not been promoted since 2010. They gave us two letters without money. They cannot bring their wards to our school.

"It is as if they do not have blood in their veins. We are tired. We are supposed to resume by September 17. But if they do not pay us, we are staying at home and no one can force us to resume."