Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, has been hospitalised in the United States of America for an unknown ailment. Anwukah is said to be currently receiving treatment for prostrate and urinary related diseases in a hospital in the United States of America.

A reliable source in the Ministry of Education, told New Telegraph that Anwukah who has been away from active duty before he was flown out of the country, is expected back by the middle of the month.

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who gave hint of Anwukah’s ailment yesterday in Abuja, during a ministerial briefing ahead of the 2017 World Teachers Day Celebration, however failed to disclose the ailment for which his colleague was hospitalised. Adamu urged Nigerians, especially stakeholders in the education sector, to uphold Anwukah in their prayers.

“Please permit me to ask us to say a minute prayer for the Minister of State who is away in the U.S. to receive medical treatment for an illness,” he said. Anwukah was said to have attended a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting two weeks ago wearing a cervical collar where he excused himself midway to the meeting suggesting that all was not well with him. Meanwhile, Adamu has appealed to state governments owing teachers’ salaries to pay up.

He lamented that despite teachers’ enormous contribution to the society and nation building; they have continued to be neglected and owed some months of salaries by some state governments.

According to him, the Federal Government has directed all state governors to ensure they use the bailout fund it released twice to them to settle salaries, including that of teachers. “I think it is very necessary that we pay our teachers right here on earth and celebrating this day just underscores the issues and their basic needs. Teachers deserve to be appreciated for their great role in nation building.

“The federal government has given out largest bailout twice to the states to settle salaries. We are doing the best we can,” he added. Adamu also noted that government was working towards enhancing the status of the teaching profession to make it more attractive to the best brains in the country.

He disclosed that training has been conducted for over 132,682 teachers through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), as part of on the job capacity building between 2016 and 2017.

Earlier in his remarks, National President, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Michael Alogba- Olukoya, said there was need for teachers to be treated well in the society. Represented by the Acting Secretary General of the union, Dr. Mike Ikeme, he commended the teachers for their dedication and resilience in carrying out their professional tasks.

“The annual observance of this important day has helped reawaken the consciousness of nations and citizenry to the important role of teachers and the need for teachers to be accorded a status commensurate with the role they play in society,” he said. (New Telegraph)

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