Abia Pays Salary Arrears As Govt Appeals To Striking School Teachers To Return To Work

The Abia State Government has announced the commencement of payment of salary arrears to striking public school teachers in the state.

This was disclosed by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, in a statement on Monday.

The government said also appealed to the teachers to reciprocate government’s gestures by returning to classes.

The statement thanked the teachers for their patience with the processes that were initiated by the government to clear the outstanding emoluments being owed them.

“To demonstrate our commitment to this cause, the government has already paid a total of N1.1bn in salary arrears to the teachers between December 2020 and now. It is set to further pay their TSS this week.

“Based on the foregoing, we call on the teachers to reciprocate the government’s gesture and show a further sense of patriotism by returning to classes on March 1, 2021.

“Government commits to doing everything within its powers to ensure the situation keeps improving as agreed with teachers,” the statement said.

Recalled that teachers in public primary and secondary schools in Abia had embarked on strike to protest alleged government ’s failure to pay their salaries .

Schools in the state were to reopen on Monday , January 9 2021 after the Christmas and New Year holidays but resumption was postponed to Monday , January 16 . 2021

The teachers refused to resume, insisting on the payment of their outstanding five months salary arrears .