Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), yesterday, called for immediate action regarding the plight of 1,800 teachers employed in Federal Government’s Unity Schools, who have  been unpaid for 36 months.        
   
The group called for the arrest of Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, during whose tenure this issue began.        
   
The organisaation questioned why the teachers were employed without plans for timely payment and demanded accountability for “this gross negligence.” It stressed that the entire problem started during Buhari’s time, and Adamu, as the then Minister of Education, should be held accountable.
   
In a statement by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA expressed dismay that despite the Federal Ministry of Education’s significant personnel budget expenditure, “these teachers remain without their rightful earnings,” a situation the group described as gross injustice.
   
Giving background to the issue, HURIWA recounted that “an investigation by The Guardian revealed that the Federal Ministry of Education has spent N4.3 trillion on personnel budgets over the past six years.”
   
It continued: “However, over 1,800 teachers, recruited between 2018 and 2020, have not been paid their salaries. These alleged unpaid arrears, along with other allowances, amount to over N3.4 billion. The affected teachers, employed as education officers and posted to schools across Nigeria, have also not received their first 28 days allowance, which is typically provided to cover initial expenses for new employees in public service.
   
“Despite informed repeated protests and numerous letters to the Ministry of Education’s headquarters in Abuja, the teachers’ demands for their rightful payment have reportedly not been met. The ministry officials, including the permanent secretary, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, have allegedly made multiple promises to address the issue. 
   
“However, these supposed promises have yet to materialise into concrete action. Reasons cited for the non-payment include logistical challenges at the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) desk and the ministry’s alleged failure to transmit the teachers’ files to the Budget Office of the Federation for vetting and onward transfer to the Accountant General’s office for approval.”