By Adenike Lawal
The strike by primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has entered its 86th day, with no resolution in sight. At the heart of the standoff is the refusal of Area Council chairmen to implement the new minimum wage and settle outstanding entitlements.
In a fresh move, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), FCT chapter, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration. In a letter signed by its Chairperson, Comrade Stephen Knabayi, the union warned of mass mobilisation and picketing if urgent steps are not taken to resolve the crisis.
The strike, which began on March 24, 2025, has shut down academic activities in over 400 government-owned primary schools across the six Area Councils. Thousands of pupils remain at home or stranded in deserted classrooms without teachers.
The industrial action followed the failure of the Area Councils to honour a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on December 11, 2024.
The agreement, which involved the FCT Administration, NLC, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), mandated the implementation of a ₦70,000 minimum wage from January 2025, alongside phased payment of at least five months’ arrears.
It also stipulated that 50% of the Area Councils’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), deducted at source, would be used to meet the wage obligations.
A tripartite implementation committee chaired by the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, was set up to oversee the process.
Despite several behind-the-scenes interventions, none of the agreement’s provisions had been implemented by mid-June.
Following a State Executive Council meeting on May 29, 2025, the NLC resolved to notify the FCT Administration of a planned protest at the FCTA headquarters on Thursday, June 19.
In its latest letter, the NLC expressed frustration over the administration’s silence on previous communications dated April 24 and May 16, 2025.
“You have failed to act on our position letter and demands. As a result, the NLC FCT Council has resolved to serve you this final seven-day notice,” the union stated.
Meanwhile, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, in a June 12 media interview, hinted that the administration might bypass the Area Councils and begin paying teachers directly.
“We are not the ones owing. It’s the Area Councils. But we’re working on a solution,” he said, adding that the Treasury Department had begun calculating the owed amounts as of June 2.
It is unclear whether teacher representatives have been engaged in the ongoing arrangements. Attempts to reach FCT-NUT Chairman, Abdullahi Shafas, for comments were unsuccessful.
In solidarity, Isaac David, spokesperson for the Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation, welcomed the minister’s proposal.
“If the chairmen have failed to deliver, the minister should step in. The children cannot continue to suffer,” he said.
