Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has directed the six area council chairmen to enforce the “no work, no pay” policy against teachers participating in the indefinite strike declared by the FCT chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, describing the industrial action as politically motivated and unwarranted.
Wike gave the directive on Friday after a meeting with the six area council chairmen, insisting that the issues raised by the union had already been agreed upon and were being addressed by the relevant authorities.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, the minister said the administration would not accept the strike, arguing that there was no justification for the action.
“We want to state categorically and let it be known to the public: this so-called strike declaration is political, and we will not accept it. We will not accept it because there’s no basis for anybody to call for a strike.
“We don’t have any issue with any either the local government area local education authority, or the primary schools, we have no issues. And that’s why you see the body of senior primary school teachers have said no, we cannot be party to this strike, that it’s uncalled for. All the things they are talking about have been agreed and are being implemented, so why do we go on strike?
“The NUT said, ‘No, we cannot be part of this, we have no problem.’ And even we don’t have problem with them.”
Wike insisted that the administration was addressing issues relating to teachers’ promotions, while the dispute over directors fell within established administrative procedures.
“The issue of promotion is ongoing. The issue of director is an establishment matter, which LCD cannot come now to change.
“And therefore, I’ve directed the area councils to go back and call their teachers and civil servants. If anybody does this, we’ll implement ‘no work, no pay.’
“Enough is enough, we can’t continue with this.”
The minister also accused the FCT NLC leadership of politicising the dispute, alleging that the council’s chairman, Knabayi Adalo, was a former area council candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
He argued that the strike could disrupt academic activities and be used as a political tool ahead of elections.
“And if you ask who is the chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, he was a former Area Council candidate of the ADC in the last Area Council election.
“And you can see his interest trying to see that FCT is in crisis, and then wants to use it as a political tool that FCT teachers are at home, nobody teaching students, how can you now go for election when the pupils are at home? We cannot accept that blackmail, we won’t accept it.
“I’ve told everybody, and I’ve told Labour, look, if you want to involve yourself in politics, you are free to, but then excuse yourself from being the leadership of the union, so you don’t politicize it. You don’t.”
The NLC FCT Council began the indefinite strike on Wednesday, October 7, following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Administration over unresolved disputes concerning teachers’ promotions and welfare.
The union has accused the administration of allowing prolonged career stagnation among teachers through a vacancy clause that makes promotions dependent on the availability of vacancies on the establishment.
The NLC is demanding the removal of the clause, the conclusion of outstanding promotion exercises for eligible teachers and the reversal of redeployment and demotion decisions affecting directors covered by the Harmonized Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022.
The minister however, maintained that the administration would enforce the no-work-no-pay policy against workers who stayed away from their duties, insisting that the issues raised by labour had been agreed upon and were being implemented.
