Primary school teachers embark on strike in Abuja

Primary school teachers in the Kuje Area Council of Abuja have embarked on an indefinite strike over the alleged failure of the Council’s Chairman to reach agreements with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).

The Chairman of the Kuje branch, Audu Lucky, made this known via a statement signed by four union executives and issued on Tuesday.

Lucky stated that the teachers in Kuje were no longer ready to be taken for granted until their demands were met by the Executive Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Abdullahi Sabo.

“The union observed with dismay the non-compliance by the Council Chairman to address the backlog of the Local Education Authority (LEA) teachers’ outstanding entitlements,” he said.

Lucky noted that the union had sent a letter to Sabo, with a reference number, NUT/169/5/138, dated 3/1/2023, adding that a letter of ultimatum dated 2/12/2022 was also sent to him.

“In view of the above, the union leadership is calling on all LEA Primary schools teachers in Kuje Area council to proceed on an indefinite strike action with effect from Monday, 9th January 2023, until further notice.

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“LEA Kuje primary school teachers are hereby directed to comply with this directive, please,” the chairman added.

Lucky listed the demands to include the payment of salaries to 2018 recruited teachers whose salaries were abruptly stopped by the council chairman in September 2022.

“Submission of the agreed template of payment of LEA teacher’s arrears to the JAAC Secretariat and continuation of the payment to concerned teachers.

“Payment of salary to 2022 reabsorbed teachers, who have been working through January to December 2022 without salary,” he stated.

Lucky said based on the demands, the branch and state organs of the union requested to meet with the council chairman but refused to meet with them.

He affirmed that the union had directed all primary school teachers in the area to stay away from their duty posts, urging parents to keep their children and wards safe at home.

In his reaction, the chairman of the FCT Universal Education Board, Dr Alhassan Sule, said the board was doing everything humanly possible to amicably resolve the crisis.

Sule said: “We are on top of the situation and we will soon convene a meeting between the union, the Area Council, and the board with a view to finding plausible solutions to the problem.

“Education is very crucial as it is the foundation of every development and the FCT is not handling it with kid gloves.

“Education is the foundation of everything in life. Keeping these children at home is very dangerous.”

The Star