Afenifere chieftain and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye has described as false and misleading, claim by the State Government that he was behind the strike embarked on by teachers in the State of the government’s refusal to pay the 27.5 per cent teachers’ peculiar allowance otherwise known Teachers Salary Structure (TSS).
He said; “rather than blaming anyone for its incompetence and
hatred for the teachers, the Dr Kayode Fayemi-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government should pay the teachers their entitlements so that our children, who are now roaming the streets can go back to school.”
In a release signed by the Director General of his campaign organisation, Hon. Bisi Kolawole, the governorship aspirant insisted that the State Government can pay the 27.5 per cent TSS, saying; “Even Governor Fayemi can pay the less than N30 million needed by the State Government to pay the 27.5 per cent TSS from his Security Vote which is in the region of N200 million per month.”
Adeyeye, who said he was not bothered by the false accusation from the government and the ACN party, added that no right thinking Ekiti indigene will keep silent when school pupils are at home for four weeks over a strike that could have been averted if the government was alive to its responsibilities.
“Like we have said before, there are 15,210 teachers in Ekiti State, with 5,535 teaching in Secondary schools while 9,675 are in Primary Schools.
“Only secondary school teachers are paid by the State Government and they are just 5,535. What the 27.5 per cent TSS will cost the State Government is less than N30 million.
“The remaining 9,675 who are Primary School teachers are paid from deductions made from allocation to the 16 Local Councils into the account of SUBEB.
In other words, Local Councils are the ones paying the primary school teachers and the total amount their own 27.5 per cent TSS will be is about N65 million.
“N65 million divided by 16 Local Councils will amount to a little above N4 million.
“Therefore, instead of peddling falsehood that Adeyeye is the one inciting the teachers to go on strike, Fayemi and his ACN should rather tell Ekiti people why it is difficult for the State government to part with just N30 million monthly and the why can’t each of the 16 Local Councils pay additional N4 million as teachers allowance monthly?”
