GOVERNOR Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State, has said the delay being experienced by teachers in the payment of their 27.5 per cent salary increase is to avoid industrial unrest in the state.

The teachers under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, have embarked on indefinite strike over the refusal of the state government to pay the salary increase which other states across the country have been paying.

The governor said this just as he hinted that henceforth, teachers in the state would collect their take-home pay through cards and that a consultant had already been instructed to carry out the biometrics of all the teachers in the state.

He expressed displeasure at the financial burden that the payment of teachers’ salary alone was putting on the state

He expressed displeasure at the financial burden that the payment of teachers’ salary alone was putting on the state.
[b]
Akala said it baffled him how the teachers could continue to demand for the same salary even when teachers retired from service.

Governor Akala, while addressing newsmen during the monthly forum with newsmen, said another remote cause of incessant strikes by the teachers was as a result of the indiscipline that had permeated the country.



According to him: “It is a pity that we don’t match productivity with income. If they have decided not to come to work for the month of July, they would not get paid for that month.”

Governor Akala did not hide his feelings about the problem created by the Federal Government which forces policies down the throats of the federating states as if the country is operating unitary system of government.

He said his reluctance in paying the salary increase should not be seen as sheer wickedness but he is just trying to ensure that other developmental projects are not stalled because of the salary of teachers. He added that their salaries alone gulped over N1.5 billion monthly.
He said: “What we are trying to do is to avoid labour crises in the state. All other workers too are entitled to get their salaries increased. It is not only the teachers. What is happening to teachers in the state is what is happening in our society. It is nothing but indiscipline. Most of us are indiscipline. It is not the strike that will make me pay the money . They can’t hold me to ransom by their strike. I don’t care. It is a universal law that if you don’t work, you don’t get paid[/b]".

It is just unimaginable for teachers to be unpaid for 3 months,

Akala has lost the plot for a very long time and should just step aside for more qualified people to govern Oyo State - he is an un mitigated disaster !

He is seriously planning for 2011 by fighting everybody and everything on Sight.
No thanks to OBJ and Adedibu for foisting such ingrate on the Oyo populace.

Please if you know of any co-ordinated movement or efforts being made to stop him I would be interested. His stewardship has been nothing to write about and has actually set Oyo state back by roughly 20 years.

Compared to other progressive states like Lagos, Oyo state resembles Afghanistan !

This governor is an Agbero to the core. It is annoying to know that this is the governor of my state. Who needs a bleaching, semi-illitrate, party freak as a governor. May he be disgraced out of office and languish in prison thereafter.

It is actually embarrassing and shameful to say the least !

In the last four years Oyo state has degenerated considerably.

Once you go through the Ibadan end of the toll gate on the road to Iwo Road roundabout it seems as if one is driving through a war zone with activities of one sort or the other (legal and illegal) going on indiscriminately on either side of the road, carcases of vehichles involved in accidents strewn all over the place, vegetation uncut, filth and garbage all over the place with huge big craters in the middle of the road .

It is an eye sore !

, and the governor has the temerity to ask for our votes come 2011 !

He should have his head in shame.