By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has waded into the protracted disputes between the six Area Councils, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and Nigeria Union of Local Employees (NULGE).
He made this known during a security meeting with FCT Councils of Chiefs in Abuja, yesterday.
The FCT wing of the NUT had on Jan. 15, directed primary school teachers in the FCT to begin an indefinite strike.
The strike was a continuation of an earlier one suspended by the union in 2023 over non-payment of 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance and 25 months minimum wage arrears, among other issues.
NUT suspended the strike on Oct. 2, 2023, to allow for the resolution of the issues within six weeks which was not achieved.
On the other hand, NULGE had equally drawn battle line with the area councils’ chairmen over similar entitlements, including hazard allowance and pension, among other unresolved issues.
Ealier, the Chairman, FCT Council of Chiefs and Onah of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, appealed to the minister to wade into the crises, lamenting that children were wasting away at home due to the ongoing strike.
Announcing the resolution of the crisis, the minister said that the FCTA would settle 40 per cent each of the debt owed to the striking teachers and local government employees.
He added that the area councils on their parts, would settle the remaining 60 per cent respectively.
“I met with NUT, and the area council chairmen. So, what we have done; the debt owned by the area councils, FCTA has come in to take away 40 per cent of it, while the councils will settle the remaining 60 per cent.
“This will be done monthly, and they have agreed.
“The same with NULGE, FCTA has taken 40 per cent, let them (area councils) pay the remaining 60 per cent.
“We will be paying every month and in the next three to four months, we will finish settling the debt,” the minister said.
When contacted, the NUT State Secretary, Mrs Margaret Jethro, confirmed the development, saying that Wike had met with the leaders of the union last week.
Jethro said the minister had promised that the FCT Administration would settle 40 per cent of the over N7 billion minimum wage arrears the councils owed the teachers.
She, however, said that no resolution was reached on the over N8 billion 12-month Peculiar Allowance debt, which was also presented to the minister for his intervention.
According to her, the leadership of the NUT would meet with the teachers to present the offer and then decide whether to suspend the strike or not.
