The Abia State Government has assured teachers in the state that concerns raised over remuneration disparities between primary and junior secondary school teachers under the implementation of the new minimum wage are being addressed and will be resolved.
This assurance comes in response to a recent communique issued by members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Abia State chapter, suggesting a possible strike over the non-implementation of the Teachers Salary Structure (TSS) in line with the new minimum wage.
Addressing the press on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, maintained that the present administration has never owed teachers in the state. He noted that the government was among the first to implement the new N70,000 minimum wage policy.
He stated that workers have continued to receive their salaries and pensions regularly, and that the administration has increased the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 years. He also revealed that teachers who left the classroom under past administrations due to unpaid salaries are now being offered incentives to return to teaching.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving teachers’ welfare, he said: “We have a section of teachers who are not happy over certain issues concerning their remuneration. Owing partly to some differentials between the salaries of primary school teachers and their counterparts in the junior secondary schools.
“But honestly, the issue has been blown out of proportion, probably by the opposition. The good news is that the government of His Excellency Dr. Alex Otti is paying salaries to Abia workers and pensioners regularly, as promised,” Kanu added.
He further disclosed that the State Government has concluded Phase 2 of its teacher training programme, a major component of its education sector reforms.
The training, which took place from April 9 to 19, 2025, involved 2,200 teachers from the 17 local government areas of the state. It was organised by the Educational Reform and Innovation Team (ERIT) and focused on modern teaching strategies to equip teachers with 21st-century competencies.