The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has promised to donate his salary to the teachers’ pension scheme in the state, if elected as governor in next month’s general elections.
Makinde, who made this known during a town hall meeting with teachers from Saki-West, Saki-East, Atisbo, Oorelope and Irepo local government areas of the state, said he arrived at the decision after considering the plight of retired teachers, adding that his father was a retired school teacher.
He said, “I am fully aware of the plight of teachers because my father was a retired school teacher. The pension scheme is the final hope of our teachers. It must therefore be important in our heart. I have decided to donate all my salary to the pension purse if I am elected as governor of this state. Nothing is too small to offer our teachers because without them, we cannot stand where we are today”.
The SDP guber candidate also promised to pay retiring teachers as soon as they disengage from service.
Some of the teachers, who responded, thanked him, while also expressing their fears over the future of teaching as a profession.
“We are happy with Mr. Makinde’s consideration for teachers. He has identified with our plight. Each day, I nurse the fear that one day, teaching profession could go into extinction. This is because teachers have not had it good as other categories of workers. We train people to reach the height but we are often looked down on. That is why the youths no longer consider teaching as first option”, said the leader of the group, Isiaka Ibrahim.
