Wike vows to end FCT teachers, council workers’ strike

Mr Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has promised quick resolution of the indefinite strike declared by primary school teachers in the territory.

The strike, which included area council workers was declared on Thursday, over non-implementation of N70,000 minimum wage and other pending welfare issues.

Wike made the promise while interacting with journalists after inspection of some ongoing projects in the city on Thursday.

The minister, who described the development as “very unfortunate”, said he had directed the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, to meet with the teachers to resolve the issue.

“I had a meeting with security agencies and area councils’ chairmen along with the FCT minister of state over security issues.

“There again, the issue of primary school teachers’ strike came up and I directed the minister of state to invite the teachers and see what we can do.

“We will do everything we can to make sure that the teachers return to the class by ensuring that the area councils implement the minimum wage as approved by the national assembly.

“I believe in a very short time we will sort it out,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the teachers, along with local government employees, have commenced indefinite strike on Thursday.

The action followed the directive of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing and the National Union of Local Government Employees of Nigeria (NULGE), FCT Chapter.

The unions announced the decision in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, signed by the NUT-FCT Wing Chairman, Abdullahi Shafa and the President of NULGE, FCT Chapter, Ibrahim Kabi.

The workers explained that they suspended the earlier strike on Dec. 12, 2024, on the agreement that the area council chairmen would begin implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage in January 2025.

They claimed that the council chairmen fail to pay the minimum wage, including non-response to other outstanding demands of the workers.

They identified the pending issues as 40 per cent peculiar allowance, 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increase and N35,000 wage award amongst others.

“The NUT-FCT Wing and NULGE, FCT Chapter, therefore, wish to alert the public that all civil servants in FCT have been paid the N70,000 minimum wage except primary school teachers and area council workers.

“Therefore, the joint unions of NUT and NULGE FCT have unanimously resolved and directed all workers in the six Area councils, including primary school teachers to, with effect from Feb. 13, resume the suspended strike.

“The action is indefinite until our demands are met,” the statement said.