Abuja primary school teachers suspend strike

The Federal Capital Territory Wing of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has suspended its three-week strike following the intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

The FCT NUT announced the suspension of the strike in a communique signed by its Chairman, Abdullahi Shafa, Secretary, Margaret Jetro, and Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye, on Monday, October 7, 2024.

The union, in a communique issued after an emergency meeting of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) on Monday, directed the teachers to resume work on Tuesday, October 8.

The primary school teachers had, on September 18, downed tools over unresolved welfare issues, including peculiar allowance, minimum wage areas, and non-implementation of upward salary review.

The strike was a continuation of earlier ones suspended by the union in October 2023 and in January 2024.

The union, however, explained that the three-week-old strike was suspended following Wike’s intervention and payment of 40 per cent of the 25 months 2019 minimum wage arrears.

The teachers added that the minister’s renewed commitment towards the settlement of the remaining 60 per cent was also laudable.

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They also commended Wike for directing the FCT Treasury to immediately use the FCT 10 per cent Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accruals to the area councils to pay the 60 per cent.

This, the teachers said, became necessary, following the failure of the councils’ chairmen to settle the 60 per cent minimum wage arrears as agreed during previous meetings convened by the minister to resolve the lingering issue.

The union stated: “Given the foregoing and the appeal of the minister for the suspension of the strike action, the SWEC in session considered the consistent and positive intervention of the minister.

“Following his renewed commitment to look into other demands of the teachers one after the other, the SWEC has resolved to suspend the ongoing strike by primary school teachers across the FCT with immediate effect.

“The SWEC in session, hereby, appealed to all primary school teachers in FCT to, with effect from Tuesday, October 8, 2024, return to the classrooms and continue with their legitimate duties.

“The union will continue to intensify more effort in ensuring the settlement of all the outstanding entitlements and the improvement of teachers’ welfare.”

The Star