By Barnabas Manyam/Yola
A vibrant labour Unionist and Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT Adamawa state, Comrade Rodney S. Nathan has come out hard on the position of the Kaduna state Governor Mall. Nasir El-Rufai over the plan by the Governor to sack 21000 teachers who we’re spuriously claimed has failed to pass an examination.
Comrade Rodney Nathan while reacting to the development said Governor El-Rufai who cannot pay workers their entitlements has chosen to wash their dirty linen in public with a false and malicious allegations that they failed a primary four examinations.
He pointed out that the claims by Governor El-Rufai was nothing more than rubbish to dent the image of 21,000 teachers who have been working to reposition the educational sector in Kaduna state while they are not being appreciated as their salaries and allowances are not been paid as at when due.
Comrade Nathan said the so called examination conducted by El-Rufai had six questions: what is the name of the Governor of State of Kaduna state and who was the president of the United States of America etc. He said these are mundane questions coupled with the fact that examination was not conducted by the National Teachers Institute NTI which is the only body responsible for coordinating exams for teachers in Nigeria.
He added, El- Rufai was not qualified to question any teacher about his educational qualifications, promotion exams or any other thing as the teachers were doing fine in their chosen field.
Comrade Nathan who is a vibrant voice in the Nigerian Union of Teachers in the Federation said NUT will put the Kaduna State Governor to task over his plan to sack 21000 teachers. He said ” NUT as an umbrella body of all Teachers in Nigeria will put El-Rufai where he belonged because he has failed to pay salaries of Teachers and can’t take care of their welfare and he is here trying to subjugate them to another untold hardship by plotting to retrench them. This action is absurd and uncanny for a Governor who can’t pay workers salaries to try to retrench teachers”.
Comrade Nathan called on President Mohammadu Buhari to call the Kaduna state Governor to order so that teachers are not victimized unjustly in Kaduna state.
