From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Primary school teachers in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are expected to return to classrooms soon, following a firm intervention by the Minister, Nyesom Wike, which aims to bring an end to the three-month old strike.
The strike, which started in March, was sparked by the non-implementation of the minimum wage, unpaid approved salary increments, and the failure to fulfill a 2022 agreement regarding teachers’ entitlements and allowances.
The Minister’s Chief of Staff, Chidi Amadi, made this disclosure after a private meeting called by Wike. The meeting included area council chairmen, leaders of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), representatives from the FCT Administration, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and members of the National Assembly.
Amadi explained that the Minister’s intervention, which followed earlier high-level discussions, aimed to resolve the longstanding issues that led to the closure of public primary schools across the territory.
After extensive talks, the parties agreed to release 10 percent of the area councils’ accumulated Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the past six months to cover about 70 percent of the unpaid minimum wages owed to the teachers.
“Although this will not cover 100 per cent of the arrears, it will settle a significant portion, marking a major step toward ending the strike permanently.”
Amadi added that Wike has ordered the formation of a Special Committee made up of three members from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), two representatives from the FCTA, one Area Council Chairman, and a representative from NANS. This committee is tasked with addressing the remaining unresolved issues and is expected to deliver its final report within two weeks, including recommendations on how to settle the outstanding debts and avoid future conflicts.
“The Minister is not only concerned about the plight of the teachers but is also committed to addressing outstanding issues affecting all local government employees. His priority is to ensure the area councils function optimally and schools reopen immediately,” Amadi stressed.
Speaking on behalf of the Area Council Chairmen, Abubakar Abdullahi confirmed the resolution, admitting that while withholding the IGR would strain council finances, it was a necessary sacrifice to secure the education of children across the FCT.
“Six months of our IGR has been committed to resolving this crisis. We appeal to the NUT to consider the future of our children and call off this strike immediately. The Minister has done his part even though, by law, he has no right to withhold the IGR. We agreed collectively because we all want this issue resolved,” Abdullahi stated.
He expressed confidence that the strike would be lifted before Friday, allowing students to return to their classrooms without any further delay.
National President of NANS, Olushola Oladoja, praised the resolution and commended Wike for his courageous action in resolving a crisis that had kept thousands of children out of school.
“Any council chairman could have challenged the Minister’s action in court, but they all agreed because they wanted peace. We commend them for putting the interest of the students first,” Oladoja said.
Responding, NUT Chairman, Mohammed Shafa, acknowledged the new commitment but said the union’s State Executive Council would meet to take a final decision on calling off the strike.