Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has directed teachers in 19 states of the country to commence an indefinite strike following the refusal of the states to implement an agreement on payment of 27.5 percent Teachers Enhanced Allowance.

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the NUT which met in Asaba, Delta State Thursday, lamented that interventions by critical stakeholders have not yielded the needed result.

A communiqué jointly signed by NUT President Comrade Michael Alogba, Secretary General Obong Obong and National Publicity Secretary Suleiman Gambari said the strike would be indefinite until affected states commence payment.

The states affected are Benue, Cross River, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Plateau, Taraba, Borno, Kogi, Niger and Sokoto.

The communiqué observed with "dismay and increasing frustration, reluctance and foolhardiness of some state governments to pay the 27.5 percent Teachers Enhance Allowance and in some cases refusal to pay the N18,000 minimum wage discriminately against teachers. "The NEC-in-session therefore called on its state wings where state governments have continued to dishonour the union and higher authorities in the country by refusing to pay 27.5 percent Teachers Enhance Allowance and N18,000 minimum wage to the teachers, to commence a stay-at-home strike with effect from the 1st of June 2013. Where such strike is allowed to take place, such state wings are not allowed to suspend the strike until the demands are met or at the instance of the national headquarters of the union."