By Daniel Tyokua
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has grounded all primary schools across the six area councils over non payment of teachers’ salary and other unresolved issues by the Council chairmen.
The Union said it directed all the teachers in the territory to resume the suspended strike action with effect from Wednesday (yesterday).
In a communiqué issued by State (FCT) Chairman, Abdullahi Shafa at the end of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting of the Union at FCT teachers’ house, Gwagwalada, Abuja, stated that consequently, all Public primary schools in FCT are to remain closed until the Union’s demands are met.
The communique read: “We appeal to all teachers to remain calm and disregard any counter directives except as directed by the Union.
“The SWEC-in – session acknowledged and applauded the effort of the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike on his intervention and payment of 40% of the total sum of 25 months minimum wage arrears to the Primary School Teachers.
“However, the SWEC In Session noted with great displeasure the non response of the Council Chairmen to the fourteen day ultimatum issued to them, nor did they attend to the industrial issues raised.
“Payment of the remaining 60% of the 25 months minimum wage arrears; implementation and payment of arrears of the 25% and 35% salary increase; implementation and payment of arrears of the 40% peculiar allowance; payment of Arrears of the N35,000 wage award; and correct and continuous implementation of the template on outstanding entitlements of the teachers as agreed in 2022.”
Reacting, the Secretary, FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB), Dr Hassan Sule, appealed to NUT to suspend strike until all avenues are being exhausted, as discussion with leadership of the six Area Councils is still in progress.
Sule, who is the acting Chairman of the Board, said: “I just finished talking to FCT ALGON chairman and the NUT Chairman now. We sat down with the NUT and ALGON chairmen, and we resolved that they are going to compute how much the outstanding payment is now, so that the ALGON chairman will now write officially for the intervention.
“But, maybe the the timeframe they gave, which the ALGON chairman is complaining that it is too short as they have not finished the computation yet, and they said let us finish all our work.
“Likely, we will be meeting on Friday, based on what I discussed with the ALGON Chairman now.”
