By Anayo Okoli

UMUAHIA—A meeting convened by the Abia State Government  with the executive committee of the striking members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Monday, ended in a deadlock, dashing hope of early resumption of public primary and secondary schools in the state.

The meeting was called to resolve the lingering dispute between the state government and the teachers over several months of unpaid salaries.

The state public primary and secondary schools have remained closed since last December when they vacated for the Christmas and New Year break. The schools were to reopen on January 9 but the teachers refused to resume, demanding payment of their over six months’ salary arrears.

The leadership of NUT, the umbrella union of teachers in the state has directed their members to remain at home until the government pays them their arrears of salaries.

Ikpeazu

Though the meeting lasted till late into the evening, the issue was not resolved.

Recall that Governor Ikpeazu had recently said that cheques for the teachers’ salaries were deposited at their banks and those who refused to pick their own were ghost workers.

The meeting which was said to have held in the office of the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Obinna Oriaku who also presided over it had the leadership of the NUT and the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Uchenna Obigwe in attendance

The NUT, through their NLC chairman was said to have raised three major issues at the meeting, including the implementation of the Teachers Salary Structure (TSS), leave allowance and the payment of salary to both primary and secondary schools at the same time.

At the meeting, the teachers insisted that they were not in a hurry to reopen schools unless all their laid down conditions were met. Secondary school teachers received their last salaries in the month of August 2016 while primary school teachers got theirs in the month of July 2016.

Reacting to the meeting, the NLC chairman, Comrade Uchenna Obigwe disclosed that both the national leadership of   the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity have thrown their weight behind the continued strike action by the teachers in the state until their demands were addressed.