Jonathan Nwokpor
Primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory are currently on strike. The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has accused the chairmen of the six local councils for the walkout.
Shortly before a closed-door emergency meeting with security services and the Chairmen on Tuesday in Abuja, Wike spoke to journalists and said the local council officials had failed to fulfill their duties.
Primary school teachers were instructed to begin an indefinite strike on January 15 by the FCT branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers on Sunday.
The strike is an extension of one previously called off by the union in 2023 due to, among other things, the non-payment of 40 percent of the Peculiar Allowance and 25 months’ worth of unpaid minimum wage arrears.
On October 2, 2023, the NUT called off the strike to give six weeks for the problems to be resolved, but nothing came of it.
The minister has now called on the Chairmen to be more aware of their responsibilities and blamed them for the ongoing strike.
“Recently, the NUT has embarked on strike; it is not because of our fault; it is the Councils’ Chairmen’s fault because primary schools are under the purview of the area councils.
“Again, it will look as if the ministers are doing nothing, but that is not our responsibility,” Wike said.
He added that he had invited the striking teachers to a meeting to discuss the issues but that they could not afford to remain silent about the walkout.
The minister said, “Council Chairmen should know that they must wake up to their responsibilities.”
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