The Nigerian Union of Teachers in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Wednesday advocated the payment of primary school teachers' salaries from the consolidated fund.

The state NUT Chairman, Mr Farouk Akanbi, made the call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ilorin. He said if autonomy was granted local governments in the country, primary school teachers' salaries would be affected.

Akanbi, therefore, called on the National Assembly to consider the plight of primary school teachers in the country and include their salary in the Federation Account during the ongoing constitution review.

According to him, the only saving grace for primary school teachers in the country is the introduction of the Joint Account Allocation Committee by the Federal Government.

Akanbi recalled that before the introduction of the JAAC, many states in the country owed teachers up to 12 months salary arrears. "If by design JAAC is abolished, there is no way we will not go back to the era where teachers are owed salary arrears.

"There will be incessant industrial action here and there as a result of non-payment of primary school teachers' salaries on time," Akanbi said.

Akanbi said primary school teachers' salaries should be consolidated from the federation account as a first line charge. The NUT boss said that teachers were not opposed to autonomy of the local government but what concerned the union was the welfare of its members.

Akanbi said when JAAC was introduced, the Federal Government favoured primary school teachers by allocating five per cent of the federation's revenue to cater for teachers' salary.

"It is a matter of removing the five per cent from the JAAC and allocating it to the Universal Basic Education Commission.

"This should be disbursed to State Universal Basic Education Commission in all the states."

He said this is the only way the Federal Government could ensure that the welfare of primary school teachers in the country is maintained.