By Kabiru Dogon Daji
Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi state government allegedly owes retired primary school teachers over N2 billion as gratuity.
Investigation conducted by Blueprint showed that since 2009, retired primary school teachers in the state had not been paid their gratuity after serving for the stipulated period of 35years.
Worried about the total neglect by the state government, the affected teachers barely two months ago staged a peaceful protest to the office of the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim K. Aliyu, to press home their demands where he symphatised with them and assured them that he would take the matter to his boss, but nothing had been done to salvage their plight.
“Frankly, to my knowledge, it has been over five years now since gratuity was paid to retired teachers; it is disheartening to note that it is only in Kebbi state that teachers are being rubbished and taken for granted. What they pay is in the contrary, if your money amounts to N1.2 million you will be paid a paltry sum of N100, 000,” said a source close to the Primary School Pensions Board who asked for anonymity.
The source added: “Many had died out of frustration, poverty and hunger while some fled the state in search of greener pastures elsewhere.”
Efforts to get comments from the Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Haruna Dan Kastina Aliero, proved abortive as he was said to have travelled out of the state.
