FCT Teachers’ Strike : Wike Meets NUT, NANS, Area Council Chairmen

The prolonged strike by primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) may soon come to an end following a high-level meeting convened by the Minister of the FCT, Dr Nyesom Wike, with key stakeholders.

The Stakeholders including the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and the Chairmen of the six Area Councils.

The crucial meeting, which held at the minister’s official residence in Abuja is aimed at proffering lasting solutions to the industrial action, which began on March 24, 2025.

Following closed-door deliberations, the Minister’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Chidi Amadi, announced that a consensus had been reached to address the immediate demands of the striking teachers.

According to him, Wike directed that 10% of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the Area Councils be withheld for the next six months to offset about 70% of the outstanding wage obligations owed to teachers.

Amadi explained that while this move does not completely settle all financial demands, it significantly covers a major portion of the owed salaries, including the ₦70,000 minimum wage among others.

In addition, Wike directed the establishment of a Special Committee comprising representatives from the NUT, NANS, and FCTA officials to resolve all remaining issues within two weeks and submit a comprehensive report for permanent resolution.

Speaking on behalf of the Area Council Chairmen, the Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Abubakar Abdullahi, acknowledged the minister’s decision, describing it as a painful but necessary sacrifice.

Abdullahi appealed to the NUT to show understanding and compassion by calling off the strike, adding that Wike acted out of goodwill despite lacking legal authority to enforce the IGR deduction.

“We just finished a meeting with the minister, the leadership of the NUT, and the Area Council Chairmen. Resolutions were passed, although they did not favour the Chairmen, as our six months’ IGR has been entirely committed to settling this issue.

“Our plea to the NUT is to consider our children and call off the strike. The minister clearly stated that, legally, he has no right to withhold 10% of the Area Councils’ IGR to pay NUT debts. But by God’s grace, the Chairman agreed, in the interest of peace and education, to release that amount.”

“We hope that our children will return to school, soon” he said.

Similarly, NANS President, Olushola Ladoja, affirmed that all parties had agreed to the 70% interim settlement proposal put forward by the NUT.

He applauded the minister for his courageous intervention and appealed to the teachers to resume work while the committee finalizes resolutions on the remaining demands.

According to him, the minister has demonstrated uncommon leadership despite legal limitations, as he chose dialogue, expressing the hope that the strike will be called off for schools to reopen.

On his part, the FCT NUT Chairman, Comrade Mohammed Shafa stated that the union would convene an Executive Council meeting to deliberate on the resolutions before making a final pronuncement.

The teachers had embarked on the strike over non-implementation of key aspects of a tripartite agreement signed on December 11, 2024, which included the ₦70,000 minimum wage, allowances, wage awards, and outstanding entitlements dating back several years.

The latest development has sparked hope among parents and stakeholders that academic activities will resume promptly across FCT public primary schools.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji