Over 600 Teachers drag Adamawa govt to court over N638 million unpaid salaries

Tom Garba

The over 600 teachers recruited  by Adamawa state Government in 2012 have dragged the government to court demanding for their 29 months unpaid salaries.

The teachers sued Adamawa State Government, Ministry of Education, Post Primary School Management Board and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents respectively.

It will be recalled that Adamawa government stopped the teachers who were recruited under Batch D1 by the State Post Primary School Management Board after resolving that they were recruited illegally.

In the suit filed by the 659 affected teachers before the Yola Division of the National Industrial Court sitting in Jos because of the security situation in the North East,  they teachers through their Counsel, Barrister A.B Babakano, sought a declaration that their appointment was valid, lawful and not illegal having worked for a period of 29 months.

They also sought for a declaration that having worked for the defendants for 29 months they were entitled to the payment of their salaries/wage, allowances and entitlements for the 29 months totalling N638, 966,400.00.

Spokesperson of the teachers, Mr Fredrick Mbashi, said they resorted to legal action after all efforts including peaceful demonstration to have government pay their salaries for the months they had worked failed.

“We were shocked when government who recruited us through the board and issued us subhead numbers PSN on grade level 07/01 and also gave some of us laptop on loan to be deducted installmentally from our salary turned around to say our appointment was illegal.

“We don’t say we must be retained, what we want is our entitlements for the period we worked for the government.

“We are ready to settle out of court and hope this new administration of Governor Bindow Jibrilla which preaches change for the people of Adamawa will look into our plight as citizens of Adamawa”, Mbashi said.