Kings College Staff On Strike Over Unpaid Salaries
One of Nigeria’s foremost secondary school, King’s College (KC) Lagos, has been brought to a halt following an indefinite strike by teachers for non-payment of salary.
A notice pasted on the school gate reads: “Strike ongoing. Academic activities grounded in King’s College; five months salaries unpaid. Staffs are dying.”
A teacher, Mr Muhammed Isa, who spoke to newsmen, said pupils, should have resumed on September 17 and 18 but would not do so until the issue is resolved by the federal government.
Advertisement
He said the matter is the same at the Federal Government College, Idoani in Ondo State.
Isa’s words: “The Federal Government has not paid our salaries for five months now. We did not even allow the pupils to resume. Obviously, we have some problems that have to be resolved. Our own children cannot go to school because our salaries have not been paid.
“Also, we do not have the empowerment to come to work. It has to do with money.
You have to pay your transport from wherever you are to come to school, we cannot trek.
Advertisement
The issue became heightened when one of the staff died last Friday as she was unable to raise money to pay her hospital bills.
“There are some of our staff who are sick and cannot pay hospital bills. One of the staff came on Wednesday, in need of money to pay her hospital bills and she could not get it. She died on Friday.
Isa indicated that the teachers got the approval of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) to embark on the strike.
“So this has informed us not to resume and we did not take the action without the approval of our mother union, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN).”
