Primary school teachers in Delta State have raised an alarm over deduction of N5,000 from each teacher’s salary for the production of identity card by the state wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, (NUT).
The Secretary of the NUT in the state, Dan Basime, had in a circular dated September 26, 2024, and addressed to the Ministry of Local Government Service Commission mandated the deductions from the teachers’ salaries.
Titled, “Production of Identity Card For Primary School Teachers” the letter reads: “I am directed by the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Delta State Wing to officially inform you to commence production of identity card (ID), for Primary School Teachers as well as the staff of the Local Government Education Authority as discussed.
“I am to also add that the cost of producing of the ID be deducted twice from their salaries at source.”
However, the teachers said, it is unfair for the Executives of the Union to deduct N5,000 from each teacher in the state for an Identity card at the moment when the economy was biting hard.
The teachers queried the cost of producing identity card, especially with mass production, wondering the reason for always tampering with primary school teachers’ salaries.
“Why were they elected to oversee the activities of the teachers? Why is the primary school teachers always their targets in all their policies? Were they elected to extort and punish us or to work for our interest,” they queried.
They accused the executives of the state NUT of ill-treatment directed at the primary school teachers, contrary to the treatment of their counterparts in the secondary school.
The teacher also lamented the deliberate delay of the promised arrears to be paid teachers by the state government, attributing the delay to alleged manipulation of how their monies can be deducted for frivolous purposes.
“Our Secondary school counterparts have been paid and they were paid completely, why is ours different?” they asked.
The teachers called on Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to wade in and stop what they described as obnoxious policies and oppressive methods of extortion from teachers.
