A Veteran and former Labour Leader of Nigeria Union Teachers ( NUT), Jonah J.Kataps has blamed the sustained crisis an
factionalization of NUT in the state on the unpreceded inteference in the internal administration and organization of the Union by the government.
Speaking to Exclusiveglobal at his Jalingo Residence recently, the two term Chairman of the NUT in Taraba, Comrade Jonah J. Kataps said that a situation where the Chief Executive sees a Union as an appendix and and small Unit of Government House portends great danger to the survival of Unionism and our nascent democracy.
He said that the NUT has a tradition and zoning arrangement for electing its leadership which under normal circumstances shouldn’t have been abused or violated, emphasizing that the attempt to disrupt such process through an alleged executive fiat to produce a leader from Wukari this time against the zoning arrangement was attributable to present chaos and factionalization of the Union in the state.
He said that it is understandable and forgiveable when the Chief Executive habours vestiges of interests on a specific candidate but it is fool hardy to accept the actions of a Chief Executive who attempts to dictate to an independent organ like the NUT who becomes what in the entire administrative machinery of the Union.
Comrade Kataps said that the perceived inteference of the present government in the Affairs of the Union is not based on mere assumptions but convincing actions that suggest the involvement of government behind the scenes.
In his words: “I am not going to pretend about it. It is the unprecedented interference in the internal organization of labour and industrial Unions in the state by this government that has brought about this chaotic development happening in the state.
“During my two- term-tenure as labour leader, we were concerned with the welfare of Teachers and how to improve teaching and learning environment.We had no business with partisan politics. Unionism must be separated from the act of governance if we are to make substantial progress.
“We had successful succession and highly respected organized Labour until my successor came in. He wanted to extend his tenure after successfully completing his term resulting to his forceful exit, a development that marked the beginning of crisis in the history of labour movement in Taraba”.
He further blamed the prevailing set backs in labour movement in the country on some labour leaders who pretend to be comrades while they are not, emphasizing that their lust for money and excessive greed had created windows of infiltration by Authorities in power to break into the ranks of members to perpetuate and create divisions at the expense of corporate interests and essence of Unionism.
The former Union Leader expressed serious concerns over the emergence of a splinter group after the Donga Delegates Conference which saw the emergence of Comrade Nathan Solomon led new leadership adding that the noticeable presence of government officials at the press conference addressed by the splinter group led by Ashoshi Bulus immediately after they lost in the election was not only suspicious and premeditated but calls for serious concern.
He said the steps taken further by the splinter group to obtain an interim injuction from an upper Area Court restraining the new leadership from operating the Accounts of the Union is no longer funny but an action intended for a purpose.
He observed that NUT as one of oldest Industrial Unions in country has gone through more turbulent times and expressed optimism that the NUT in Taraba has the capacity to overcome its present challenges. He stressed the need for the new leadership to preoccupy itself with the improvement of welfare of Teachers and creating a conducive learning and teaching atmosphere in schools.
He therefore appealed to the National leadership of the Union to wade into the present crisis to save the state’s educational sector from further deterioration.
A top government official close to Government House who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said that he is not aware of government’s involvement in the crisis of NUT, arguing that the present administration believes in the rule of law and the peaceful coexistence of the state.
According to him, government is not happy with the developments in NUT and is working round the clock to broker peace between the warring parties in the interest of the state.
According Exclusiveglobal findings, the splinter group had gone to court to seek an interim injuction restraining the new leadership from parading itself as the duly elected executive of the Teachers Union in the state.
When our correspondent visited the Secretariat recently, it was under lock and key on the orders of the court with a handful of the Union staff hanging outside the buildings.
Some of them who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity lamented that the NUT crisis is taking its toll on the Secretariat workers as most of their wards have been sent away from schools due to lack of payment of school fees occasioned by lack of salaries and sealing of the Secretariat on the orders of the Court.
The state secretary of the Union, Comrade Emmanuel Hwande told our correspondent that though the Accounts of the Union have not been squeezed, the Union has been denied its statutory membership dues by government, an action that is inimical to the operations of the Union.
Comrade Hwande however intimated that the Union is dialoguing with relevant authorities to end the crisis.
PIONEER NEWS 