FG INTERVENES IN NUT, NTI FACE-OFF

Minister of State for Education Barrister Nyesom Wike yesterday intervened in the tussle between the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and National Teachers Institute (NTI) over the underpayment of teachers to the tune of N1.437billion as allowances after the MDGs 2011 training programme.

The teachers were to receive N14,000 each but they only got paid N2,500.

NUT had accused the institute of defrauding the teachers of their allowances for the training which lasted six days.

But at a meeting between both parties convened at the Federal Ministry of Education, Director General of NUT, Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu, explained that there was the short fall because the fourth quarter of the 2011 budgets were not released and the ministry had been intimated.

Sharehu said the N2,500 each was paid to the teachers when the ministry approved that the balance in the third quarter of over N300million be paid.

NUT President Michael Olukoya said they had only been informed by NTI of the problems with the budget after its National Executive Council had taken a decision on the matter.

Wike promised to check with the Federal Ministry of Finance why the funds were not released. He appealed for calm.