After 20 days, primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory called off their indefinite strike.
This followed an agreement between the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the FCT Administration to pay the remaining 60% of the 25-month arrears owed to teachers.
Abdullahi Kafas, chairman of the NUT’s FCT chapter, disclosed this on Monday.
The teachers resumed their strike on September 18 to protest the local council’s failure to pay 60% of their arrears after a 14-day deadline set by the FCT Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
On September 25, 2024, the FCT Minister threatened to utilise 10% of Internally Generated Revenue intended for Area Councils to pay striking primary school teachers in the FCT.
He added that he had asked Area Council Chairmen and the NUT to discuss the problem and would not allow the teachers’ strike action.
However, Abdullahi Kafas, Chairman of the FCT-NUT chapter, informed that the union had suspended the strike and that the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, had asked the Director of Treasury to issue the payments to the teachers immediately.
“Yes, the strike has been suspended. He (Wike) has agreed to pay the remaining 60 per cent of the 25 months’ arrears and the rest will be paid gradually. The minister himself agreed, and he has directed the director of treasury to make the payments and it is with immediate effect,” he said.