Unpaid arrears: FCT primary school teachers resumes strike
By Sadiq Abubakar, Abuja.
The FCT wing of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has directed teachers primary schools in the territory to resume strike action today (Monday) January, 15, 2023 across the six area councils over failure of the six area councils chairmen to pay 25 months minimum arrears and non implementation of 40 percent peculiar allowance of its members.
The union gave the directive in a communique jointly signed by the state NUT chairman, Comrade Shafas Abdullahi Shafas, Comrade Margaret I. Jethro and publicity secretary, Ibikun Adekeye, at the end of an emergency meeting of the State Wing Standing Committee (SWSC) held at teachers house in Gwagwalada, on Friday.
The union said despite assurances and intervention of the FCT minister, Nyemso Wike in resolving the issues, the union suspended ended the strike action which held on September, 11, 2023, for six weeks in order to honour the minister and give him ample time for the resolution of the issues.
According to the communique, the union is worried that the six weeks given expired on November, 7, 2023, saying despite the committee that was put in place by the FCT administration had completed their work but nothing positive has taken place.
“We are concerned that series of meetings have taken taken place, but primary school teachers remain in a pathetic situation and continue to bear brunt of the high cost living attributed to the removal of the fuel subsidy without succor from anywhere,” the union said.
The union it is saddened that primary school teachers has been left suffering due to unwillingness of the area council chairmen’s refusal to pay teachers aforementioned entitlements including non pay of December, 2023 salary.
The union, however, said it was on that premise that it has no option than to direct all primary school teachers in the FCT to resume the suspended strike effective from Monday, January, 15, 2024 to further press home her demands.
“While the SWSC- in- session equally resolved that if the outstanding demands of the primary school teachers are not paid before Friday, 19, January, 2024, all secondary school teachers in FCT will join in solidarity with effect from Monday, January, 22, 2024, because an injury to one is an injury to all,” the union declared.
The union, therefore, advised parents to keep their children and wards in primary schools safe at home.
When contacted, the FCT chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) who is also the chairman of Kwali area council, Danladi Chiya, did not pick calls or reply to text message sent to his phone over union strike action.
