The Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has described as unfortunate the backlog of salaries being owed teachers in the country by both the federal and states governments.
While calling on the Federal Government and the affected states to save education from total collapse in the country, Aliyu lamented that teachers at the primary school level suffer the most.
Governor Aliyu, who made the call in Minna on Saturday evening when he declared open the 18th edition of the Nigeria Colleges of Education Games, being hosted by the Niger State College of Education, said that it is morally, physically and socially wrong for government at any level to withhold the salaries of teachers or any worker who has done his or her job.
He said this happens often in some states in the North and therefore called on the affected states to ensure prompt payments of salaries and allowances of teachers.
Governor Aliyu however did not give the names of the affected states.
According to him: “It is disheartening to hear that teachers have not been paid salaries for months in some states of the country, especially in the North.
“Teachers cannot be good teachers if they do not eat and cannot feed their families.
“There should be no excuse what so ever for the non payment of the teachers salaries.
“Teachers must be respected.
“They should be paid their dues after doing their job.
“I call on all governors and the Federal Government to ensure the prompt payments of their salaries and allowances.”
Governor Aliyu argued that the quality of students produced depends on the quality of teachers in the schools.
He said poorly motivated teachers will not be able to impart anything on the students.
He said further: “Their dues must be paid to them at the right time and that is the only way that we can guarantee quality service.
“Not only teachers.
“Anybody that we have engaged to come and work for us must be paid his due as at when due.”
Aliyu said that teaching should come first and should be given priority.
He therefore encouraged states in the country to establish more Colleges of Education as well as University of Education so as to produce more quality teachers in the country.
According to him: “Teachers must be people that must be respected.
“They should be paid their dues.
“I call on all governors and the Federal Government to ensure the prompt payment of the salaries and allowances of teachers.
“Pay people their dues at the right time and you will get quality service.
“Quality teachers produce great nation.
“We need to put our resources towards training quality teachers.”
The governor, while commending the Provost and the entire staff of the college for hosting the game, said that the games could not have come at a better time than now in view of the current period of insecurity, as the nation continues to search for national cohesion and unity.
Sports, he pointed out, is a vehicle for unity and social mobilisation, stressing further: “Given the abundant energy and enthusiasm of the youths, bringing together thousands of students athletes to compete in various games will go a long way in developing the spirit of accommodation, tolerance, perseverance and camaraderie and in promoting national integration.”
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Provost of the host College of Education, Minna, Prof. Farouk Haruna Abdulrasheed, the hosting of the game by the college has opened another chapter in the history of the college and the state, as this is the first time the college is hosting the game.
The 18th Nigeria Colleges of Education Games has about 42 Colleges of Education across the country participating in various sporting events.
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