By Mary Amodu, Lokoja.
The immediate past Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board ( SUBEB) Mallam Nuhu Ahmed disclosed that the institution has established model schools and special education centres in all the 21 Local Governments across the three Senatorial Districts. It also embarked on the reconstruction of SUBEB Headquarters among others.
He however blamed the non payment of salaries on the drastic reduction of allocation from the federal govrrnment Though the non payment of salaries has been an issue since the past three months in Kogi State, he absolved the past government from the blame.
“The salaries of the primary school teachers comes directly from the Federal allocation as against the misconception that the State government was responsible for it, the reduction of the allocation to about eight hundred million has affected the percentage adopted in the payment of salaries.”
Nuhu made the statement in an interview with our reporter saying “the allocation has not been sufficient to pay full minimum wage”.
He stated that teachers themselves know that their money does not come from the State government but from the Federation account into the third tier of government.
He expressed his appreciation to the former governor of the State Capt Idris Wada for his contribution in making it possible for the board to access the year 2012,2013 and 2014 counterpart funding” it was with this counterpart fund, that made it possible for the board to issue out contracts to indigenous contractors ” he said.
SUBEB boss, however commended teachers for their noble assistance to pupils throughout the strike period in the State” I commend their sense of understanding and cooperation to cater for the educational needs of the younger generation”.
Nuhu further appealed to host communities where contracts are executed to be vigilant and report cases of shoddy jobs, also listed his achievements during his tenure ” the establishment of model school across the 21 LGAs in the State, establishment of special education centre in the three Senatorial districts reconstruction of the SUBEB head quartet among others, he noted
