NUT appeals to Buhari on implementation of welfare packages
BY BRIGHT JACOB
The Nigeria Civil Service Union has expressed optimism about the federal government’s desire to increase the retirement age and years of service of workers to 65 years and 40 years, respectively.
The optimism followed the report of the passage of the bill last week seeking to increase the retirement age and service years of teachers in all the 120 federal government owned secondary schools, usually called Unity Colleges, as well as schools ran by federal agencies like the Air Force, Navy, Army and Police, scattered all over the country.
The executive bill, which was sponsored by the House Leader, Alhassan Doguwa, and another legislator, Adekoya Abdul-Majid, was passed on Tuesday at the resumption of plenary in the lower chamber of the National Assembly, and seeks to increase both the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65 years, and the years of service from 35 to 40 years.
The union, through its General Secretary, Yahaya Idris Ndako, told The Point, that plans were in the works to raise the retirement age and years of service of “other federal civil servants to 65 years and 40 years, respectively.”
Ndako also said that a memo has already been written to the federal government to that effect and that hopefully, soon, they will be smiling.
“The memo was written late last year and we also have a leadership that is following it up meticulously,” he added.
When asked if the government would accede to their requests, Ndako said, “You cannot predict the government. When you request for something from the government, you cannot give any assurance that they will give or not. Look at the issue of the national minimum wage, for instance. We got it by force and it was implemented just last year. But we were on that struggle for more than five years.
“We had proposed a minimum wage to the government, but the leadership of the government in their character came up with their usual hanky-panky in all that they do. So, when you request for something, you should have the confidence that you’ll get it. However, when exactly you’ll get it, we cannot say. That’s the position.”
When The Point reminded Ndako that the government had always complained about the lack of funds, and if this was the right time for them to fight for their cause, he replied, “when will the government ever say the truth? The secrecy at the government level is very high. There is never a time the government will come out and say that they are buoyant, or that they have money, or that their financial position has improved. When have you ever heard that?
“We don’t give any regards to the government’s cry about lack of funds. Indeed, we do not consider that. Our request is our request.”
Ndako, however, noted that the requests had not been brought to the notice of lawmakers.
But he explained that their lawyers have advised them to also write a memo to the National Assembly, though he said that he wasn’t sure whether that had been done.
He was however full of belief that very soon “our bill will be sent to the National Assembly for debate.”
In a related development, the Nigeria Union of Teachers has urged President Muhammadu Buhari, to implement all the promises he made to teachers last year during the celebration of World Teachers’ Day.
While reacting to the passage of the bill before the National Assembly seeking to raise teachers’ retirement age, as well as their years of service, the Union, through its General Secretary, Mike Ike Ene, appealed to the president to help expedite action on the full implementation of all their welfare packages.
In what is perceived by the teachers as partial fulfillment of the promises made by the president to them in 2020, lawmakers in the National Assembly had passed a bill for the harmonised retirement age for teachers in the country.
“Plans were in the works to raise the retirement age and years of service of other federal civil servants to 65 years and 40 years, respectively
“
In an interview with The Point, Ene reminded Nigerians that the bill had been a long time coming.
He said, “It might interest you to know that this is not the first time we are passing through these stages of the passage of this bill.
“That bill actually got to President Buhari during the 8th assembly. Unfortunately, the president couldn’t assent to it. The President brought it back as an executive bill. So, it’s been an old story.
“What happened is that this new bill only passed through the second reading, and we are waiting for the 3rd reading so that they will send it again to the president for his assent.”
In his address to teachers last year, President Buhari had, through the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, listed various welfare packages for teachers that included the payment of Teachers Practice Allowance, a new Teachers Salary Structure, new years of service and retirement age.
“The President has promised us a bumper structure, or what we call special Teachers Salary Structure, and many other things. We appeal to him for the practical reality of all of them, that’s all,” he added.
Concerning the enhanced teacher’s salary structure, the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, had stated in a symposium organised by the Ministry of Education as part of activities marking the 2021 World Teachers Day, that work was being concluded on it.
The Minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Sonny Echono, noted that the President had approved the enhanced salary structure which would be finished very soon.
According to Echono, “the President specifically approved that it should take effect from 2022, and we are doing all we can to finish it to ensure that teachers get the remuneration they deserve by January 2022.”
Reacting to the promise made by the minister, Ene said that he hoped that the various bottlenecks that once obstructed the president’s promises from coming to fruition before now, such as paucity of funds and legislation, would be seamlessly dealt with this time around.
The Point also spoke with the head of a public school under the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission, who spoke on condition of anonymity, and who also urged the various state governments in Nigeria to “toe the line” of the federal government.
According to her, “what the government at the centre is doing is very noble. It seems that now the sacrifices made by teachers are gradually being appreciated and recognised. However, we want this recognition to also extend to teachers in the various States’ Teaching Service.”
“Now is the time to prove the naysayers wrong by affirming that teachers’ reward is not in heaven, but on earth here.”
She stressed that “the state governments should always be magnanimous. It is true that education is on the concurrent list in our constitution, and for that, state governments can’t be compelled by law to go by what the federal government does or approves for its teachers. Notwithstanding, we are optimistic. We believe that the various state governments, among whom Lagos State is a pacesetter, will surely do the needful. We are hopeful.”
