Pay us our salaries arrears – Rivers teachers tell Wike

School teachers in Rivers State have pleaded with the state government to pay their salary arrears.

A terse statement issued yesterday in Port-Harcourt by the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Mr. Nkpogene Lucky also urged the Governor, Nyesom Wike, to fulfil his other promises to teachers.

They said they have been mild in approaching the issues that concerned their welfare but would become aggressive if taken for granted.

The statement reads: “The demands of the union include financial implementation of verified promotions of teachers for 2009 and 2010, payment of outstanding salaries of February and March 2016 to affected teachers, payment of rural area allowance to teachers, the release of promotion letters for 2011, 2012 and 2013 teachers under the senior secondary schools board and payment of pensions and gratuities to retired teachers.

“How come teachers will be begging for promotion and other statutory rights since 2009?

“Let us say it loud that the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Rivers State wing still has teeth to bite and should not be taken for granted or pushed to the wall.”