About 53 teachers in Kogi State have dragged the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, before the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, with a call to prevail on the leadership of NUT to stop further deduction from the salaries of those not members of the union.
This was contained in a letter of complaint jointly written by 53 staffers of Okene Local Government Education Authority in Okene Local Government Area, signed by Abdullahi Yekeen.
According to ICPC in its letter with reference number ICPC/ GH/FIU.H/199/15 dated March 2, 2015, and signed by Head of Finance Investigation Unit, Mr Agboro O.M., the School Service Unit in Okene has been directed to stop forthwith, the deduction from salaries of the 53 District School Supervisors, who have dissociated themselves from NUT membership.
The letter also revealed that N4,118, 515.35 deducted between August 2008, October 2009 and December 2011 to July 2014 be refunded.
Yekeen added that the commission pointed out clearly that by virtue of Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, “every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons and may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interest.”
Yekeeni lamented that three months after the directives of ICPC mandating NUT to immediate refund deducted money and stop further deduction, the union has refused to heed the order.
He, however, called on the commission to prevail on the union to comply as directed.