The strike by primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been suspended.
The industrial action, undertaken under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), was called off on Monday after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike satisfied some of their demands.
The union had on September 18 directed Local Education Authority (LEA) primary teachers across the six area councils of FCT to go on strike over the non-payment of the 60 percent balance of the 25 months minimum wage arrears and the non-implementation/payment of arrears of the 40 percent peculiar allowance.
Speaking at the end of an emergency State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting at the Teachers House in Gwagwalada on Monday, the Chairman of the NUT in the FCT, Abdullahi Mohammed Shafas, said the decision to suspend the strike followed renewed commitment of Wike towards the payment of the outstanding 60 percent.
He said Wike had during the meeting with the leadership of the union directed the FCT treasury department to immediately pay the teachers with the area council chairmen’s 10 percent internally generated revenue.
Shafas said the SWEC also considered the consistent and positive intervention of the minister’s commitment to look into other demands of the teachers.
The union, however, appealed to the minister to ensure the implementation of its members’ 40 percent peculiar allowance, N35,000 wage award and 35 percent upward salary review with immediate effect after the minimum wage arrears are settled.
Shafas expressed dismay at the situation of the primary school teachers’ welfare in the FCT as a result of the non-commitment of the management of the area councils to give teachers their entitlements despite the harsh economic realities in the country.
“To this end, the SWEC in session hereby appealed to all primary school teachers in the FCT to, with immediate effect from Tuesday, October, 8, 2024, return to their classrooms and continue with their legitimate duties as the union will continue to intensify efforts in ensuring the settlement of all the outstanding entitlements and the improvement of their welfare,” he said.
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