No fewer than 4,000 public secondary schools’ teachers employed by the Akwa Ibom State Secondary Education Board (SSEB) during the 2017/18 recruitment exercise, have lamented non – payment of the backlog of promotion arrears for four years and 10 months.
The affected teachers under the aegis of Concerned Akwa Ibom Teachers Forum (CAITF), in a letter of appeal addressed to the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, lamented that many of them were wallowing in poverty and heavy debt burden, following government’s inability to address the welfare challenges confronting the affected teachers employed during the period.
The protest letter dated Friday, December 17, 2025, to the Governor, through the Ministry of Education, supervised by the Commissioner, Prof. Ubong Essien, the agrieved teachers, lamented that such neglect has impinged negatively on their morales.
The leaders of the group spoke on condition of anonymity, as the Public Service Rules (PSR) forbids them from public protest and open expression of critical views against government as their employer, appealed to Pastor Eno, to act fast, as such insensitivity to their plights could lead to compromising the ethical standards of their job as trainers of future leaders.
Entitled; “Petition On Non – Payment Of Promotion Arrears Owed To Teachers Employed In 2017/2018,” which was made available to Journalists in Uyo, the State capital at the weekend, the protesting teachers narrated their harrowing experiences after being elevated to the next levels without the commensurate cash attachment.
“We respectfully write on behalf of teachers employed by the Akwa Ibom State Secondary Education Board (SSEB), in the 2017/2018 recruitment exercise to formally complain about the persistent delay in our promotions and the outright non-payment of promotion arrears.
“In line with the Public Service Rules (PSR), Sections on Advancement and Promotion, officers are entitled to promotion as and when due, and where promotion is delayed through no fault of the officer, financial benefits must take effect from the due date.
“We were due for promotion from Salary Grade Level 8 to Level 9 in January 2021, but our promotion letters were not released until December 2023. No arrears were paid for the period of delay.
“Subsequently, we became due for promotion from Salary Grade Level 9 to Level 10 in January 2024, yet promotion letters were again delayed until December 2025, with no arrears paid.
“These actions contradict established Public Service practice and violate our rights as workers under the Public Service Rules (PSR), the Labour Act, which guarantees fair remuneration, and
the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), Section 17(3)(a), which mandates just and humane conditions of work.
“Promotion without arrears amounts to denial of earned entitlements and has caused us serious financial hardship, especially in the face of rising living costs.
“We, therefore, respectfully appeal to Your Excellency, known for your commitment to worker’s welfare and good governance, to kindly intervene in this matter by approving the following:
“Payment of all outstanding promotion arrears from January 2021 to November 2023 (GL 8–9), payment of all outstanding promotion arrears from January 2024 to November 2025 (GL 9–10), and timely measures to ensure timely promotion of teachers henceforth.
“We trust in Your Excellency’s well-known commitment to justice, fairness, and workers’ welfare and believe your intervention will restore our morale and strengthen our dedication to service,” the petitioners stated.
