The Secretary to the Delta Government (SSG), Chief Patrick Ukah, has charged the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Delta State Wing, to counsel their members on the need to observe all COVID-19 protocols during the 2021Teachers Day celebration coming up on October 5, 2021.

The SSG gave the charge when the newly elected state executive of NUT recently paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Asaba.

Chief Ukah stated that the virus was real and urged members of the NUT to dispel the rumors on the dangers of COVID-19 vaccine as it has been certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be safe.

The SSG stated that there is need to let them understand that it is safer to take the vaccine, as teachers are exposed as much as the students are exposed too.

He urged the NUT EXCO to work very closely with the Commissioners of Education in the various Education Ministries because they will advise the state government on education policies as it affects the education sub-sector.

The SSG equally stated that the state government is still very much committed in holding the annual teachers award as approval has been given by the governor for it to hold in December, 2021.

Ukah assured the executives of the NUT that the state government will continue to partner with them to ensure that the welfare of teachers in the employ of the state government was well taken care of.

He stated that all the issues raised by them will be looked into by the state government.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman of NUT, Comrade Titus Okotie, said they were in the office of the SSG to solicit for the state government's continued cooperation with the NUT Executive towards the realization of the common goal for the benefit of teachers.

Comrade Okotie stated that the visit was also to appreciate the SSG for the synergy that existed between him and the NUT when he was Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education.

He thanked the SSG for his support to the union during their conference which culminated in a free and fair election that ushered the newly elected executive into power.

The Chairman highlighted some issues which, he said, required urgent attention by the state government to include; non implementation of the approved N30,000 new national minimum wage for primary school teachers in the state, continued stagnation of university graduate primary school teachers on salary grade level 14, promotion of teachers in the Post Primary School Board (PPEB) for the years 2020 and 2021, and the non-inclusion of NUT members in the Governing Councils of higher educational institutions in the state.

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