By George Mgbeleke <\/p>\n
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a blistering condemnation of the ongoing teachers\u2019 strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), describing the situation as a direct consequence of what it termed the \u201cinsensitive, arrogant, and anti-worker disposition\u201d of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, towards the welfare of staff under his supervision.<\/p>\n
In a statement signed by the National coordinator of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko the stated that it is both shocking and unacceptable that in Nigeria\u2019s capital city\u2014one of the most expensive urban centres in Africa\u2014over 98 percent of public sector workers, particularly teachers, continue to earn wages that are grossly inadequate and disconnected from economic realities.<\/p>\n
The Association expressed outrage that while teachers who shape the intellectual and moral foundation of society are left impoverished, the FCT Administration appears more preoccupied with \u201ccosmetic infrastructure projects such as flyovers and highways,\u201d which it described as \u201cpolitically convenient but socially disconnected from the urgent needs of the people.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to HURIWA, governance must not be reduced to \u201cconcrete and asphalt politics\u201d at the expense of human capital development.<\/p>\n
\u201cSovereignty belongs to the Nigerian people\u2014not to appointed officials. Those who occupy public office derive their legitimacy from the people and must act in their interest, not in contempt of their welfare,\u201d HURIWA declared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYOU CAN\u2019T BUILD FLYOVERS ON BROKEN CLASSROOMS\u201d
\nHURIWA accused the Minister of repeatedly making statements that suggest a troubling preference for infrastructure expansion over staff welfare, warning that such a mindset is dangerous and unsustainable.<\/p>\n
The group stressed that no society can achieve meaningful development when its teachers\u2014the very backbone of education\u2014are neglected, demoralised, and pushed into industrial action.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou cannot build flyovers over a collapsing education system. You cannot pave roads into a future where children are locked out of classrooms because their teachers are unpaid,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n
DOUBLE STANDARDS, ELITE PRIVILEGE, AND MORAL FAILURE
\nIn a scathing critique of what it described as elite hypocrisy, HURIWA pointed out the glaring contradiction between the lifestyle choices of public officials and the realities faced by ordinary Nigerians.<\/p>\n
The Association noted that while top government officials\u2014including the FCT Minister\u2014send their children to some of the most expensive schools abroad, children of poor Nigerians are left to suffer the consequences of underfunded and poorly managed public education systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are the children of the political elite educated in elite institutions overseas, while Nigerian children are denied quality education at home due to unpaid teachers?\u201d HURIWA queried.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not just unfair\u2014it is unjust, immoral, and a betrayal of public trust.\u201d<\/p>\n
CALL FOR TEACHERS TO BE PAID LIKE DOCTORS
\nHURIWA made a bold policy demand, calling on the Federal Government and all subnational authorities to urgently review the remuneration of teachers nationwide.
\nThe Association proposed that teachers should be placed on a salary structure comparable to that of medical doctors, given their foundational role in shaping future generations.
\n\u201cTeachers are nation-builders. Without them, there would be no doctors, engineers, lawyers, or leaders. Paying them poorly is equivalent to sabotaging the future of Nigeria,\u201d the group stated.<\/p>\n
IMMEDIATE DEMANDS
\nHURIWA issued the following urgent demands:
\n\u2022\tImmediate payment of all outstanding salaries, allowances, and entitlements owed to FCT teachers
\n\u2022\tUrgent engagement with teachers\u2019 unions to resolve grievances and end the strike
\n\u2022\tComprehensive review of teachers\u2019 salary structure to reflect current economic realities
\n\u2022\tBalanced prioritisation of infrastructure development and human capital investment
\n\u2022\tInstitutional reforms to guarantee workers\u2019 welfare as a non-negotiable governance obligation <\/p>\n
WARNING: EDUCATION COLLAPSE BREEDS INSECURITY<\/p>\n
The Association warned that prolonged neglect of the education sector could trigger far-reaching social consequences, including rising youth unemployment, criminality, and insecurity.
\n\u201cEducation remains the most effective weapon against poverty, extremism, and crime. Denying children access to education is equivalent to fueling future instability,\u201d HURIWA cautioned.
\nFINAL POSITION
\nHURIWA called on the FCT Administration to act with urgency, responsibility, and humility, warning that continued indifference could provoke widespread public backlash.
\n\u201cThe time for excuses is over. Pay the teachers. Reopen the schools. Restore dignity to the workforce. Anything short of this is unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By George Mgbeleke The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a blistering condemnation of the ongoing teachers\u2019 strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), describing the situation as a direct consequence of what it termed the \u201cinsensitive, arrogant, and anti-worker disposition\u201d of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, towards the welfare of staff […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10610,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[6455],"class_list":["post-12971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","tag-situation-direct-consequence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12971"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12971\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12972,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12971\/revisions\/12972"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyechoes.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}