The indefinite strike by primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory has now entered its 86th day, with no sign of resolution in sight.
The Area Council chairmen have continued to flout agreements to pay teachers their new minimum wage and outstanding allowances.
The FCT chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, on Wednesday, however, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration in a letter signed by the NLC Chairperson, Stephen Knabayi.
The union threatened a mass mobilisation and picketing of the entire FCT if urgent action was not taken.
The long-running industrial action, which resumed on March 24, 2025, has paralysed learning across over 400 public primary schools in the six Area councils of the FCT, leaving thousands of pupils stuck at home or left unattended in dilapidated classrooms.
The ongoing strike was sparked by the failure of the six Area Councils to implement the N70,000 minimum wage agreement signed in a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding on December 11, 2024.
The MoU had been brokered by the FCT Administration and endorsed by the FCT wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, and the Nigeria Labour Congress.
Among the terms of the MoU were the commencement of payment of the N70,000 minimum wage beginning January 2025, settlement of at least five months arrears in instalments, and the use of 50 per cent of Internally Generated Revenue deducted at source from Area Councils to fund the payments.
The MoU also provided for a tripartite implementation committee chaired by Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud. However, as of June, the councils had not commenced the payment or honoured any part of the agreement, despite repeated interventions and closed-door meetings.
The resolution of the NLC followed a meeting of the State Executive Council on Thursday, May 29, 2025, where it urged the administration to address the demands of primary school teachers, Area Council workers, and health workers or face picketing of the FCT office on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
“The meeting recalled that the NLC FCT council have written several letters, seeking an audience with you but not granted.
“Your refusal to act on our position letter and demands served to you on 24th April 2025 was noted with displeasure. Also, you have not acted on our letter dated 16th May 2025.
“The meeting resolved that a seven-day ultimatum be served to you to address the demands of the primary school teachers, area council workers and health workers in the six Area Councils in FCT or face picketing of the FCT on Thursday, 19/06/2025 by the NLC, FCT Council. You are hereby duly notified,” the letter read.
The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, during a live media chat on June 12, 2025, hinted at the possibility of bypassing the Area Council chairmen to pay owed salaries directly to the teachers.
“Well, the committee has made their recommendation and today, the 2nd of June, the Permanent Secretary Treasury, is already working out how much they are supposed to have. It’s unfortunate. We are not owing; the Area Councils are owing,” he said.
Our correspondent could, however, not confirm whether the leadership of the teachers’ union had been invited by the administration to deliberate on the modalities for payment.
Efforts to reach the chairman of the FCT-NUT, Abdullahi Shafas, to get an update failed, as he neither responded to calls, texts or WhatsApp messages from our correspondent.
Speaking on the development, the spokesperson of the Abuja Original Inhabitants Youth Empowerment Organisation, Isaac David, commended the minister’s decision.
“If the chairmen cannot do it, then let the minister do it,” he said.
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