Teachers in Edo State yesterday called off the strike they embarked on to demand the implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teacher's Special Allowance, TSA.
The state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Comrade Patrick Ikosimi, announced the call-off after a meeting with representatives of the government in Benin, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Peter Okhiria.
Ikosimi said having reached an agreement with the national body of NUT on what the state government presently pays and on the continued discussion on how to pay the balance, "the strike is hereby called off and all teachers are herby directed to report at their duty posts from Thursday, July 11."
None of the state NUT leaders could be reached at press time.
But Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who admitted recognising the right of the teachers to go on strike, thanked them for heeding the voice of reason.
He said: "I remain convinced about the merit of paying teachers better than the rest of the civil servants, which was why Edo State became one of the first to implement the Teacher's Special Allowance of 27.5 per cent.
"While we were implementing, more than 50 per cent of states were not paying. We implemented because of who we are, not that we are richer than those states but we are convinced about the merit of paying Special Allowances to teachers if that would encourage more brilliant people to go into the profession.
"We were paying these when a new minimum wage was adopted. In Edo State, we agreed that consequent upon the implementation of the new minimum wage we had to adjust wages across the board for all civil servants including teachers.
"While we adjusted our wages upwards, many states refused to implement across the board the increase in the basic pay of civil servants.
"Having increased the wages across the board we found that the cost of implementing the 27.5 per cent was now such that majority of our local governments were not going to be able to afford it even if they were to resolve to do nothing else but pay salaries."
National Mirror