Primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory, under the Nigeria Union of Teachers, have suspended their indefinite strike after 20 days, following an agreement with the FCT Administration to pay the remaining 60 per cent of the 25 months’ arrears owed to them.
The union’s chairman, FCT chapter, Abdullahi Kafas, disclosed this to our correspondent during a phone conversation on Monday.
The PUNCH reports that the teachers resumed their strike on September 18 to protest the non-payment of the 60 per cent arrears by the area councils, despite a 14-day ultimatum issued by the FCT chapter of the NUT.
On September 25, 2024, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, threatened to use 10 per cent of Internally Generated Revenue allocated to the area councils to pay the striking primary school teachers in the FCT.
However, Kafas exclusively informed our correspondent that the union had now suspended the strike, noting that Wike had instructed the Director of Treasury to process the payments to the teachers immediately.
“Yes, the strike has been suspended. He (Wike) has agreed to pay the remaining 60% 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 with immediate effect,” Kafas said.
