An end to the protracted disputes between the six area Councils and primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory may have been reached, as the FCT Minister has come up with a formula to clear off the backlog of allowances owed the teachers.
The FCT wing of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, had on January 15, directed primary school teachers to embark on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of 40 percent Peculiar Allowance and 25 months minimum wage arrears, among other issues that were not resolved in 2023.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, had equally drawn battle line with the area councils’ chairmen over similar entitlements, including hazard allowance and pension, among other unresolved issues.
However, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, at a recent a security meeting with FCT Councils of Chiefs and the chairmen of the six area councils, said that the FCTA will pay 40 percent of the debt owed the striking primary school teachers, while the council chairmen will pay the remaining 60 percent of the debt.
He further disclosed that the dispute between the councils and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, was equally resolved.
Earlier, the Chairman, FCT Council of Chiefs and Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, appealed to the minister to wade into the crises, lamenting that children were at wasting away at home due to the ongoing strike.
Responding, the minister said, “I met with NUT, and the area council chairmen. So, what we have done, the debt owned by the area councils, FCTA has come in to take away 40 percent of it, while the councils will settle the remaining 60 percent.
“This will be done monthly, and they have agreed. The same with NULGE, FCTA has taken 40 percent, let them (area councils) pay the remaining 60 percent.
“We will be paying every month and in the next three to four months, we will finish settling the debt.”
Reacting, the NUT at the end of an emergency meeting of the State Wing Executive Committee over the weekend, said the minister’s intervention has led to its decision to suspend the strike.
