By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, will on Thursday meet with the chairmen of the six FCT Area Councils, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), to address the lingering teachers’ strike and reopen public primary schools in the territory.
The meeting was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday by NANS President Olushola Oladoja and the group’s Public Relations Officer, Adeyemi Ajasa.
NANS had earlier planned a protest at the FCTA Secretariat but suspended the action after its leadership was invited to a high-level meeting at the Department of State Services (DSS), headquarters.
During the engagement, the prolonged strike and its impact on pupils were thoroughly discussed, followed by a strategic session with Muktar Betara, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on FCT.
The meetings clarified the root causes of the strike and efforts already made by the Wike-led administration.
According to NANS, Wike explained that the FCT is the only part of the federation operating full local government autonomy.
As such, salary payments for primary school teachers are the sole responsibility of the area councils.
Wike was quoted as saying, “The FCT Administration is not directly responsible for the backlog of teachers’ salaries and therefore should not be held solely accountable for the inadequacies of the area councils.”
Nonetheless, in a bid to resolve the crisis, Wike proposed a bailout plan: the FCTA would pay 60% of the arrears while the area councils cover the remaining 40%.
However, when the councils failed to fulfill their part, Wike withheld their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), for May and June to cover the outstanding 40% and ensure teachers receive their due.
NANS noted that the funds are expected to be disbursed before the end of the week and confirmed that it will continue to monitor the situation closely.
“We reaffirm our commitment to defending the rights of Nigerian students and ensuring that no child is denied access to education due to governmental lapses,” the statement added.
