No resolution for Lagos teachers strike By Olugbenro Adeoye

The Lagos state House of Assembly today, February 9 had a meeting with the executives of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagos chapter, to avert the strike action by the teachers.

The meeting involving the union chairman, Michael Alogba, representatives of the State House of Assembly, the deputy governor of Lagos state, Sarah Sosan, and the special adviser on education, Elijah Adewale.

The speaker of the House, Adeyemi Ikuforiji said that the meeting should be held this week at a date to be decided, and that the resolution of the meeting should get to the House by Monday next week.

The union insisited that the 27.5% increment on teachers' salaries must be implemented. Mr. Alogba, in his speech said that the state governments agreed on August 6, 2008 at a meeting between the Nigeria governors' forum and Teachers' union. He said that the union has given the state government a 21-day ultimatum, which will lapse on February 25, 2009. Mr. Alogba said that teachers in the state will go on an indefinite strike if the state government fails to comply by then.

Lagos state has a teaching staff strength of about 37000 public school teachers, and the 27.5% increment translates to N3000 ($20) for a level 10/6 teacher. A level 10/6 teacher would have spent at least ten years in service.

Adewale confirmed the agreement made by the state government and the teachers, but he pleaded for more time. He said that the state government is faced with conditions that might not make the implementation possible now. According to him, the drop in the global price of crude oil, and the rehabilitation of classrooms are two of the conditions. Mr. Adewale said that the 2009 budget made provision for the implementation, but that schools rehabilitation is being done in the first quarter of the year.

This assertion met with criticisms in the House. Mr. Alogba said, "It is true that the state government wants to provide infrastructure, but this infrastructure becomes useless if the personnel are not properly motivated." He said that states like Niger, Jigawa, Gombe, Kebbi, Kano, and Yobe have implemented the increment. Yobe implemented 100% for the teachers. "When we now say global recession, are you saying that these states are not affected?" he said.

Onibiyo Adelabu, a House member representing Alimosho Local government said,"we are aware of the global recession, but not educational recession. I hope that the state government will do something serious other than what is seen right now."

Another House member, Mr. Olowo said that he cannot see any reasonwhy some other states of the federation has paid and Lagos state has not. "If classrooms are built and the teachers are dead, then what happens?" he said.

After the meeting, Mr. Alogba said that he was happy with the resolution, and that the Lagos state House of Assmebly is the conscience of Nigerians. But he added that the Teachers will not rescind on their decision to go on strike. He, however, said that he was optimistic. "With the intervention of the House, I am hopeful that it will not degenerate to that stage," he said.