The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has directed all its members not to participate in any training programme organised by the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna in protest against accumulated unpaid training allowances.

NUT President Comrade Michael Alogba Olukoya who issued the directive, said it was the outcome of the union's National Executive Council meeting held Tuesday in Abuja.

Olukoya said the boycott followed declaration by the Federal Government that it has no funds to pay N1.44 billion outstanding allowances owed teachers for the 2011 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) training programme.

"Nigeria Union of Teachers is aware of a clandestine move by NTI and Millennium Development Goals to short change our members into taking part in a seminar. Based on our resolve, until the balance of 2011 training allowance is paid to our members, nobody, no teacher in this country will take part in anything done by NTI and MDGs," he said.