Caleb Onwe 
…As Wike Decries Shutting Down Of Public Schools
The Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) Primary school teachers and Area Council employees have downed tools over non-payment of the N70,000 minimum wage.
The strike action that started on Thursday was announced by the joint statement issued by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) FCT WING and the National Union of Local Government Employees of Nigeria ( NULGE) FCT Chapter.
In the statement co-signed by Abdullahi Shafa, Chairman, NUT, FCT and Ibrahim Kabi, NULGE President, FCT, members of the two Labour unions were directed to resume an indefinite strike action.
The statement reads, “ The NUT-FCT Wing and NULGE FCT Chapter, therefore, wish to alert the general public that all Civil Servants in FCT have been paid the 470,000 New Minimum Wage except the Primary Schools Teachers and the Area Council Staff. It is saddening to note that all the Council Chairmen have reneged on the agreement they signed on December, 9th 2024 to implement the new Wage by January 2025.
“ Given the fact that the suspension of the strike by the teachers and the Area Council Staff on the 12th of December, 2024 was hinged on the aforementioned agreement, which has failed, including their non-response to other outstanding demands of these workers which include the 40% Peculiar allowance, the 25% and 35% salary increase, the N35,000 Wage Award amongst others, the joint Unions of NUT and NULGE FCT unanimously resolved and directed all workers in the Six Area Councils including the Primary School Teachers to with effect from Thursday, 13th February, 2025 resume the suspended strike action indefinitely until their demands are met”.
Meanwhile, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has decried the constant shutting down of public schools and other sectors within the territory.
Wike who expressed these concerns during the project inspection tour on Thursday, noted that he has directed the Minister of state to immediately interface with the aggrieved unions, and work out modalities to address their grievances and end the strike actions.
Wike said, “ It is unfortunate. Two days ago, I had a meeting with the security agencies the Area Council Chairmen and the Minister of State over security issues that we have to bring them to understand what is going on.
“There again, the issue of strike by the primary school teachers came up. I directed the Honorable Minister of State to invite the teachers and see what we could do.
“ It is really unfortunate that this issue of minimum wage is still out. But, as I said, we will make sure that the teachers will go back. We will do everything we can to see that the area councils implement the minimum wage as approved by the National Assembly.
