PUNCH NEWS

The Nigeria Union of Teachers in Bayelsa State has suspended its three-week-old strike following the approval of N50m monthly payment of the N18,000 minimum wage arrears owed public school teachers by the state government.

In a statement on Tuesday, the state NUT chairman, Kalama Toinpre,  and secretary,  Hector Johnson, said a series of discussions  between the state government and local government areas  had also begun.

It noted that payment had already commenced with primary and secondary schools in Yenagoa Local Government Area.

It further said  that Governor Seriake Dickson was expected to increase the amount to cover other teachers.

The NUT also explained that the implementation of promotion and annual increment of primary school teachers was expected to start with the payment of October  salary.

The union said a committee comprising  the representatives of the state, councils, NLC chairmen and  NUT secretaries had been mandated to work out the modalities for payment of the salary arrears of 2016/2017 owed primary schools teachers