By Sarah NEGEDU
There seems to be no end in sight to the current impasse between public primary schools teachers and area councils’ chairmen in the Federal Capital Territory, as the teachers insist on having all the issues resolved before going back to the classroom.
Recall that in September 2023, primary school teachers in the FCT embarked on an indefinite strike to compel their employers, (area councils) to begin the implementation of 40 percent peculiar allowance, and payment of 25 months minimum wage arrears, amongst other outstanding debts.
On September 18, 2024, the teachers, under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, FCT wing, resumed the industrial action over the unresolved welfare issues between it and the six area councils of the territory.
A communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of the State Wing Executive Council of the NUT, last Wednesday, directed that all public primary schools in the FCT should remain closed until the union’s demands are met.
The communique signed by the state chairman, Comrade Abdullahi Shafa, asked members to disregard any counter directives except as directed by the union.
The communique read in part, “The SWEC-in – session acknowledged and applauded the effort of the Minister of FCT, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike, on his intervention and payment of 40 percent of the total sum of 25 months Minimum Wage Arrears to the Primary School Teachers.
“However, the SWEC in Session noted with great displeasure the non-response of the Council Chairmen to the fourteen day ultimatum issued to them, nor did they attend to the industrial issues raised.
“Payment of the remaining 60 percent of the 25 months minimum wage arrears; implementation and payment of arrears of the 25 percent and 35 percent salary increase; implementation and payment of arrears of the 40percent peculiar allowance; payment of Arrears of the N35,000 wage award; and correct and continuous implementation of the template on outstanding entitlements of the teachers as agreed in 2022.”
However, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Thursday, said he is considering using the 10 percent internally generated revenue meant for the area councils to pay off debts owed the striking teachers.
Wike, said he would not allow children to be affected by the strike which has gone on for over a week, adding that no serious government would allow it.
Speaking to journalists on the FCT Administration’s intervention on the impasse, the minister added that he had invited the chairmen of the area council and the FCT NUT leadership to discuss the issue.
“I have invited the area council chairmen and then I’ve invited the NUT, and let’s sit down. These are the things we talk about. We try to do what we can do in order to see that the system is moving well. It is unfortunate, which I told the area council chairmen, that the teachers are on strike”.
“And that will mean that if the teachers are not paid, then I will use the 10% IGR, which nobody paid to them, to pay the teachers. I will not fold my arms and allow that to happen. No serious government will allow their teachers to stay at home while the children are suffering, I will not tolerate that”, he said.
Chairman of the NUT in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, Ameh Baba, had told the media that the union, alongside teachers from secondary, would embark on a protest if their demands were unmet after seven days.
He warned that, “If the government does not respond after about seven days, we are going to picket the area council secretariats.
“It will also be followed by the protest as well as solidarity from the secondary school teachers in the long run. But as of now, it will affect the JSS 1 incoming students, because their result is due for release.”
A phone call placed to the chairman of Kwali Area Council, Danladi Chiya, who is also the chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON, to get his position on the issues were unsuccessful, as he insisted on a physical meeting at a later date.
