For Federal Civil Service, wey dey Federal Ministry of Education and Federal Ministry of Defence, about 600 teachers wey benefit from Federal Government service extension for teachers dey owe 23 months salary. The PUNCH yarn say dem find out dis informate on Sunday.
According to The PUNCH, former President Muhammadu Buhari admin bring this service extension for teachers. Dis teachers dey unity schools and schools wey military and paramilitary get.
On January 20, 2021, Federal Executive Council approve Bill to increase retirement age and service years for teachers. Adamu Adamu, wey be the former Minister of Education, talk say the reason for the Bill na to give legal approval for the new retirement age wey be 65 from 60 years and to extend their service from 35 to 40 years. The Bill also talk about bursary awards, special rural posting allowances, and other things wey go encourage Nigerians wey sabi teach.
In April 2022, Buhari sign the Bill into law, and e begin run since January 2022.
But, investigation show say Federal Ministry of Education bin send memo on January 26, 2021, talk say make teachers for unity schools no retire, make dem continue work till Buhari give approval. Ministry of Defence also talk say make teachers wey don retire but apply for extension, make dem wait till Buhari approve.
Some of the teachers wey dey affected talk say despite dem dey work since January 2021, dem never pay dem salary until November 2022, and dem never still pay the 23 months arrears, even though e show for their payslip.
One teacher wey talk to The PUNCH talk say, “We dey over 400 Education Officers wey dey benefit from dis extension wey extend retirement period to 65 years or 40 years in service since January 2021. Dem talk make we continue work but dem never pay us any money till November 2022, and arrears dey for over 23 months. Dem reinstate our salary for December 2022, but we never see the money for our account. We ask question but IPPIS never give us better answer. We come gather ourselves all over Nigeria, collect our information and payslip, come submit am.”
Another person wey talk for the concerned teachers for Ministry of Defence talk say, “Dem reinstate our salary for April 2023, but dem never pay our arrears despite say we don dey work since we retire. Make government do something, we dey hungry. Make dem pay us our arrears.”
The PUNCH see letter wey some affected teachers write give Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, on October 13, 2023. The letter talk say dem never pay their accumulated salary arrears, even though dem follow the directive for Circular FME/HRM/S234/1 wey dem send on January 26, 2021.
Meanwhile, Secretary-General of Nigerian Union of Teachers, Dr. Mike Ene, talk say the union dey work on the matter. “We sabi wetin dey happen, and we dey already talk with the ministries wey dey involved. NUT bring this idea, and we don dey work on am before Ministry of Education talk say dem dey interested. E pain us say government no dey employ new teachers, e no go good make dem leave the old teachers. Remember say President Muhammadu Buhari make am law for April 2022. The situation no good, but we dey work to make sure say everything clear and dem pay the teachers.”
The person wey dey talk for Federal Ministry of Education, Ben Goong, never answer The PUNCH as e be when dem file the report.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Defence don start to check all the teachers wey dey armed forces schools. Memo wey the Director of Education for the ministry, Taiwo A.O, talk say dem dey direct to do the verification for all Ministry of Defence teachers wey dem employ make dem teach for Armed Forces Primary and Secondary Schools for the country. Dis exercise dey for proper planning and administrative purposes.