Teachers in public primary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have declared an indefinite strike due to the refusal of the six Area Council chairmen to pay arrears of their minimum wage and meet other obligations.
Comrade Abdullahi Shafa, FCT Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), announced the decision, which was part of the resolutions reached at the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting of the NUT FCT Wing.
The SWEC-in-Session deliberated on the 14-day ultimatum issued to the Area Council Chairmen to pay the Primary School Teachers’ entitlements. Although the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom E. Wike, intervened and assisted the Councils by defraying 40% of the 25 months Minimum Wage Arrears, the Council Chairmen failed to respond to the ultimatum or address the industrial issues raised.
Outstanding Demands: Payment of the remaining 60% of the 25 months Minimum Wage Arrears, Implementation and payment of Arrears of the 25% and 35% Salary increase, Implementation and payment of Arrears of the 40% Peculiar allowance, Payment of Arrears of the N35,000 Wage Award, Correct and continuous implementation of the template on outstanding entitlements of the teachers as agreed in 2022.
The strike, which commenced on September 18, 2024, will keep all public primary schools in FCT closed until the Union’s demands are met. The NUT has urged teachers to remain calm and disregard any counter directives except as directed by the Union.
This is not the first time FCT teachers have gone on strike over unpaid wages. In January 2024, the NUT directed primary school teachers to begin an indefinite strike action due to similar issues. The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, blamed the chairmen of the six area councils for the ongoing strike, stating that they have not lived up to their responsibilities.
