Benue State teachers: Different government, same problem

Benue state teachers are seriously suffering, especially those in primary schools, owned by the state government. It is very unfortunate that the ongoing administration in the state has also followed the way of the immediate past administration where teachers’ salaries and allowances cannot be paid for more than 5, 6, 7 and even 8 months, […]

Benue state teachers are seriously suffering, especially those in primary schools, owned by the state government. It is very unfortunate that the ongoing administration in the state has also followed the way of the immediate past administration where teachers’ salaries and allowances cannot be paid for more than 5, 6, 7 and even 8 months, turning teachers to beggars.
Formal education is very imperative in any society and teachers who are responsible for teaching what constituted the formal education that impacts knowledge on society should be treated with specialty.
However, we are condemning in totality the non-payment of teachers’ salaries and allowances in the state and urging the state government under the leadership of Governor Samuel Ortom to quickly begin to do what can necessitate the payment of their outstanding salaries and allowances for the sake of peace, unity and progress. The state government should know that it is not a favour to pay the salaries of her workers but it is a responsibility because they worked and deserved to be paid. Perhaps, there is always reserve money for the salaries of the workers in the state, which teachers are also part of the workers, why is teachers’ issue always different?
It has never been heard that the state government is owing the salaries and allowances of the members, state house of assembly, it has never being said that the state government is owing the commissioners and other political office holders in the state, it has never being known that the state government is owing the state governor and his deputy. Why does the same state government always owe teachers?
It would be very unfair if the governor and his deputy are getting their salaries and allowances at when due but that of the teachers and other workers in the state is always pending. With the withholding of the teachers’ salaries, the state government is still pressuring them to pay tax, with the withholding of their salaries, the state government still expect them to pay the school fees of their children who are in the state owned university and other tertiary learning institutions in the state, owned by the state government.
The state government, under the leadership of governor Ortom should know that non-payment of salaries in the state was what prevented governor Suswam from going to the senate house as the people voted massively against him. Governor Ortom should know that the change that people voted for is not the one they are witnessing now. Governor Ortom should also know that soon the people of the state may not tolerate what they are tolerating now. The governor should as well know that going to church every Sunday and kneeling down for pastors to pray for him will not make him a saint and that cannot pay the outstanding salaries and allowances of the teachers and other workers in the state.
We all know that there is money that is meant for the salaries and allowances of teachers and other workers in the state and we advice that such money should not be used for something else. As the matter of responsibility and necessity, the governor should listen and do the needful.   
Faga Simon Akaakohol, Makurdi, Benue State.