Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state has bowed to the pressure from the teachers in his state and approved the disbursement of January salaries to post-primary teachers.
Dickson also promised the teachers that 50 per cent of their May salaries would be paid to them in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson on Saturday.
The teachers, on Friday had kicked against the governor’s plan to pay half of May salary out of the five months they were owed by the government.
The teachers had gone to the Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Memorial Centre in Yenagoa in the hope to receive their salaries on Friday, as promised them by the governor.
The teachers however, did not take it lightly on discovering that the government was only willing to pay 50 per cent of their May salaries.
Subsequently, they stormed out of the center and marched into the streets in protest.
The teachers were reportedly dissatisfied because they had not been paid since January while civil servants in some ministries in the state were fully paid.
The teachers wanted the governor to pay them in full for January before bargaining half payment for the month of May.
Bowing to the request, Dickson, during his meeting with the protesting teachers promised to make the teachers happy as his administration was particular about quality education.
Accordingly, the governor paid the teachers their January salaries less than 24 hours after making the promise.
The governor assured the workers that February, March and April salary arrears would be paid when the economy of the state improves while blaming the failing economy of the nation for the delay in salary payment.
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