- Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian social media influencer and activist, Martin Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has called for President Bola Tinubu’s intervention over non-implementation the new minimum wage for the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) primary schools teachers.
VeryDarkMan made the call in a post on his Instagram handle following his visit to one of the schools where claimed pupils have been out of school for the past nine weeks on account of their teachers’ strike action.
Meeting with some of the pupils, the activist recounted how the teachers had embarked on strike over the unpaid new minimum wage.
VDM disclosed that the teachers are still been paid N30,000 despite promises of an upgrade to the N70,000 new wage.
“This children have been out of school for about nine weeks. And the reason is simple, their teachers went on strike. I don’t know why dey in charge of LEA but whatever corruption you are trying to do is not fair to these children.
“You had a basic education. That is why you are in the current position you are holding. If these children don’t have the basic education that they need, they can’t function for us in the society.
Instead, we will raise bandits, terrorists, and criminals. If they don’t have basic education, how will they survive rather than stealing?
“Now what is the problem? The teachers of LEA decided to go on strike because the minimum wage before was N30,000. And as you all know, Tinubu say dem don increase minimum wage go N70,000. After that, implementation was a problem. When the teachers decided to rebel and say no you have to pay us what we are worth, then they went on a little strike.
“They now called them and said oya will you pay you the N70,000. They paid the N70,000 for one month and took it out again. They started paying the N30,000. Now the teachers decide to go on strike. That is why this children have been out of school.” VDM explained.
While warning over the consequences of keeping the children out of school, the activist questioned the FCT LEA over the handling of the teachers salary.
He accused the LEA board of mismanagement as he alleged that the fact the N70,000 was paid for a month before being withdrawn indicated that the full adjusted salary was disbursed to them.
VeryDarkMan charged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the LEA over the teacher’s salary while also calling g r Tinubu’s intervention.
“So who dey in charge of LEA? Abeg na beg I dey beg you because I will put you for problem. I will put you in a big mess. If I carry protest go your office, I go lock am because na thief be dis.
“If the President have passed that they should be paying N70,000, why are you holding their money.
“It is evident that you were given that money because you paid them the one month, you now later removed it. That is stealing.
“Again EFCC, this is my problem with you people. They gave a budget for all these things. When things like this happen, you people are supposed to go after these people and make sure they get everything but they don’t. And who will suffer? It’s all these children that will suffer.
“Next thing now you go dey complain terrorism, banditry.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you have to call your people to order. Let them do the needful. You went to school and that’s why you are the President. Please this children need to go too.
You claimed that the children and youths are leaders of tomorrow. These children cannot lead tomorrow if they don’t have basic education.” VDM added.
One of the teachers whose name was not disclosed also recounted how the FCT Minister, Nyesom Woke, had promised to resolve the issue but has not made any move since.
“Abeg we dey beg government, chairman of the six area councils. The Minister has promised to work on it. But in the last two weeks to three weeks, they even gave seven days ultimatum to settle everything.
“Still, the Minister is not working on it. He is not doing anything. He is not say anything. They said they don’t have money to pay and the Minister said they have given them money since.
“They want to deceive us. But we are tired of fake promises. That is why our union still stand their ground.
“The promises are too much. Our children are just roaming about doing nothing.” She said.
The teacher recalled how the strike has prevent the pupils from writing their second term examination as she called for an end to the strike.
“Last term exam, we could not write. Three weeks before the exam, they closed down the schools because of strike. We are tired of strike. So, the government should help us.” She added.