Enugu’s rotten teachers' union

Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu state-Nigeria, on Tuesday March 3, said his government would, soon, set up a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the activities of the state’s chapter of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT). The governor’s pronouncement followed allegations of monumental corruption leveled against officials of the state chapter of the teachers’ union, especially, Chiefs Uche Agboeze and Ike Ene, chairman and secretary respectively. (Picture left above shows Governor Chime having a chat with teachers of the state)

Chime hinted that the setting up of the commission followed the request from the state House of Assembly that government should investigate alleged financial malpractices of officials of the teachers.

Governor Chime, meeting with the striking teachers (the strike lasted two days only 13 & 14 March), said preliminary investigations into the activities of the officials revealed certain anomalies in the way they have been running the union.

For instance, Chime stated that the sum of N12.6 million was deducted illegally from teachers’ salaries through the state’s Basic Education Board. The governor maintained that check-off dues collected from the teachers from 2005 were doubled without approval, adding that the teachers were subjected to monthly payment of N2, 000.00 to the union without government’s approval.
The most scandalous of the allegations against the NUT officials is misappropriation of teachers’ property and embezzlement of federal housing scheme fund. Indeed, the union, over time, acquired two property in Enugu, one on Ogui Road (Teachers House) and the other on 11 Presidential Road. The two properties ought to have ideally constituted sources of revenues to the union. But this appear not be so. Hear the teachers: “Millions of naira and pounds sterling accrued to NUT as house rents of these properties are unaccounted for”.

“Government has decided to set up a Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate the activities of the union leaders”, Chime said. He stated that his government would not succumb to blackmail by the union leaders, who, he said, called the teachers out on a strike for “purposes of blackmailing the government.”

According to Chime, he took time out to explain to the NUT leaders how it was not convenient for it at this time to pay the new salary structure owing to the current financial crisis, but they were not ready to show understanding. The strike was embarked over the non-implementation of the Teachers Salary Structure (TSS) in the state, in addition to the demand to be paid the 27.5 percent salary increase demanded by the teachers.

KlinReports learnt that the union leaders, Ike Ene, expected the government to lobby them with a certain amount so that they would dissuade their members from embarking on the strike action, but because they were not given money, they declared the strike.

We commend the governor for taking steps to probe Enugu NUT officials. We note that this probe is long over due, as the activities of these union officials, especially, Ene and Agboeze are stinking to high heavens.

Some questions are worth asking concerning the activities of Ike Ene and Uche Agboeze in the union. How come these two musketeers continue to rule the union for over a decade now? Are the offices of chairman and secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Enugu chapter, the union the birthright of Ene and Agboeze? What has become of the constitution of the union? Or does it thousands of teachers in Enugu state are bereft of leaders except Ene and Agboeze?

These questions and more are what this Judicial Commission of Inquiry will ultimately resolve. And Chime’s state will be better for it!