The Ebonyi State Government has expressed deep concern over the non-payment of February and March salaries to teachers under the Ebonyi State Universal Education Board and those working within the Local Government system.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abakaliki on Friday, the Commissioner for Education (Primary and Secondary Schools), Prof. Paul Nwobashi, stated that the issue was entirely due to an allocation problem.
Nwobashi explained that the Local Government Areas have not been receiving their statutory monthly allocation from the Federation Account for some time, which has had a detrimental effect on the smooth running of local government administration.
He clarified that the teachers’ salaries, under the control of EBSUBEB, are paid by the Universal Basic Education Commission through Federal Allocation, which is directly credited to the Local Government’s Federal Allocation Account.
The commissioner further revealed that the State Government had been augmenting the LG funds in order to ensure that salaries for workers in the local government system were paid, helping to alleviate the hardship caused by the delay.
Nwobashi acknowledged the gravity of the situation, noting that the state government was deeply worried, but he reassured the public that every effort was being made to resolve the issue promptly. He also promised that the affected teachers and workers would soon receive their outstanding February and March salaries.
“But, we are doing everything possible to ensure that they are paid. Immediately the allocation comes, they will be paid. We have been in close discussion with the relevant stakeholders in the education sector. I have discussed with the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria and I have talked with the officials of the Nigerian Union of Teachers. I have asked them to be patient. It is an allocation problem, it is not from the State Government,” Nwobashi explained.
The commissioner also highlighted that the State Government had assisted with the payment of December and January salaries, as well as other outstanding wages.
Additionally, the national representative of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Ebonyi Chapter, Mr. David Elom, confirmed the non-payment of the February and March salaries, calling the situation “pathetic.”
Elom shared that the union had held several meetings with the Commissioner for Education and the Head of Service to address the matter.
