Education

Imo Teachers Begins 7-day Fasting, Prayers Over Delayed Salaries

Published

5 years ago

July 2, 2020

Members of the Imo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has commenced seven-day fasting and prayers in the 647 autonomous communities over non-payment of their three-month salary arrears.

The union gave the directive to commence the exercise in a statement issued by the state Secretary of the union, Godwin Osogwa and made available to journalists yesterday.

It urged teachers in the state to seek the face of God amid suffering, lamenting that in spite of their plight during the lockdown, they were not paid even as they were compelled to remain at home.

They expressed hope that only the Almighty God would touch the hearts of state government officials to pay them to enable them and their families to feed.

“You are directed to embark on seven-day fasting and prayers,” the statement stressed.

One of the teachers in the state, identified as Nkechi, told The Guardian that they were really suffering, saying they were being owed over three months arrears, lamenting that she was forced to explore alternative sources of income.

“It is really tough. We have not been paid since the COVID-19 pandemic. How do we survive? I will join my colleagues to embark on fasting and prayers,” she said.

Also, retirees in the state, numbering about 23,000 have given Governor Hope Uzodimma seven days to approve the payment of their over five months pension arrears.

They were protesting against the failure of the state government to fulfil its promise to pay their pensions by last weekend as Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Cosmos Iwu, had assured them.

The retirees issued the ultimatum during their second protest in Owerri during the week, saying they would ensure that they disrupt government activities until they were paid, even as they asked for alms on the streets of Owerri.

Speaking yesterday, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said the State Government had just concluded verification of the retirees’ records of service and payroll system.

He restated that massive fraud was uncovered in the process and charged the pensioners to exercise patience, assuring that they would be paid sooner than later.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Owerri presided over by Justice Tijjani Garba Ringim, has ordered the immediate reinstatement of the 27 council chairmen and councilors who were elected in 2018 during former Governor Rochas Okorocha’s tenure.

But immediate past Governor of the state, Emeka Ihedioha had removed the affected elected officers in June last year and on the assumption of office on January 15, Uzodimma sacked Ihedioha’s Local Councils Transition Committeemen and replace them with his anointed officials.

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Education

Nigeria’s Intervention Paying Dividends in Our Education Sector-Prof.Gomez,Gambian Minister for Higher Education

Published

5 days ago

February 27, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology of The Gambia,Prof.Pierre Gomez has conveyed the gratitude of the Government of The Gambia to the Federal Government of Nigeria, saying Nigeria’s intervention in the education sector of their country is paying dividends.

The Minister,who disclosed, Wednesday, during a visit to the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps in Abuja,how pleased the President of their country is at the glaring impact of the injection of some Engineering Professors of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps into the running of the University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET) of The Gambia,also revealed that the Nigerian Professors have changed the narrative in the country’s higher education with regards to skills, innovation and enterprise development,such that enrollment at the USET has increased from 47 to over 200 in the last academic season.

While commending the professional astuteness of the TAC Volunteers currently serving in The Gambia,Prof. Gomez informed that the Engineering Professors were championing a new wave of thinking out of the box that are aimed at fashioning out self- funding initiatives for Universities that had , hitherto ,depended solely on government’s subvention.

The Minister,who also informed of the establishment of a new University of Education in his country, said they had looked towards the direction of Nigeria to help in fostering the University into a place of excellence,since all Universities must be seen as places of excellence and Nigeria has all it takes to foster such demands.

He also added that apart from coming to demonstrate appreciation to Nigeria,the delegation specifically had another reason for the visit.He said:
“Today we are here again to request the help of our big brother, Nigeria.This is because your Volunteers have performed greatly well in our country. The great dynamism they have brought into our country’s higher education is changing narratives everywhere and we cannot but request for more hands to mentor our teachers and administrators to get things right.

“You gave us all we needed before. The Engineering Professors you gave to our country are more than anyone can ever ask in terms of their productivity and results on ground. But here we are again,we are begging your professionals to come and mentor our people in the area of Education,a different area from what the Engineers are already doing.”

While assuring the people of The Gambia of the continuous support of Nigeria in the area of her educational needs,the Director General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps,Rt.Hon.Yusuf Buba Yakub said the whole idea of NTAC was to fill such gaps among brother nations in the ACP countries.

He congratulated the Government and people of The Gambia on the roles Prof.Gomez has continued to play to make better the higher education sector of the country,adding that the new University of Education would aid in no small way in producing the needed crop of teachers that would deepen education and research in the West African nation.

Buba pledged to immediately set in motion the process of offering the requested assistance to The Gambia in the weeks ahead, stressing that the impact of today’s decision on the country ‘s teaching and learning needs would reverberate positively in the sector in the next twenty years.

Among those who were part of the Minister’s delegation were:Dr.Alieu B.Senghore, Chairman of the University of Education,The Gambia;Mr.Aboubacarr Jallow,Provost of the University,as well as Mr.Siaka Saidilzigh,a Principal Assistant Secretary at the country’s Ministry of Higher Education and Mr.Babucarr Dumbuya,First Secretary at the High Commission of The Gambia in Abuja.

From the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps were the Director of Programmes at the Agency,Amb.Zakari Usman and Mr.Lawandy Bala, Special Assistant to the Director General on Protocol Matters,among others.

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