COUNCIL WORKERS MAY CALL OFF STRIKE AS WIKE BROKERS TRUCE

By: Wisdom Acka and Prudence Okonna

There is an indication that the lingering industrial action embarked upon by Area Council teachers, three months ago, would soon be called off.

This strong indication emerged as the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, summoned a meeting of the warring parties -the six Area Council Chairmen, and representatives of the striking workers and teachere, Thursday, 3rd July, 2025 in Life Camp, Abuja.

Barrister Wike, following public outcry over the unending strike action, called the parties involved to a closed door meeting to find a lasting solution to the matter.

The Minister told the six Area Council Chairmen, union and NANS’ leaders of the FCT Administration decision to take from the Councils’ one percent share of the Administration’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and settle the workers.

Chief of Staff to the Minister, Mr. Chidi Amadi, who disclosed this while speaking to journalists after the meeting disclosed after extensive deliberation, a decision was reached to put the issues to rest.

According to him, part of the resolutions was to withhold the 10 per cent accrued Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the Area Councils for the past six months, explaining that the funds would be used to settle 70 per cent of the minimum wage owed the teachers.

His l, however, noted: “Although it will not cover 100 per cent of the debt for now, it will cover about 70 per cent. This is a laudable move towards addressing the lingering industrial action once and for all.”

He further disclosed that the Minister had also given b directives for the constitution a ommittee, made up of three members of the NUT, two members from FCTA, one of the area council chairmen and representative of NANs.

The committee, he said revisit all outstanding issues and within two weeks, and submit a report detailing how the other outstanding issues would be permanently addressed.

His words: “In addition to addressing the issues of the primary school teachers, Wike had taken a decision to address all outstanding issues of the local government employees.

“The Minister pledged to personally intervene to ensure that their demands are addressed by the FCTA. This is to ensure that the area councils resume full operations effective immediately.”

Mr Abubakar Abdullahi who responded onbehalf of the Chairmen, accepted the resolution, however, noted that “although it was not in favour of the area councils, it was necessary to resolve the issues.”

Abdullahi continued: “Six months of our IGR had been held to settle this issue. Ours at this point is to appeal to the NUT to consider our children and call off the strike. Please, NUT, we are calling on you to respect the fact that the minister has taken his time to resolve this matter.

“Wike had clearly stated that by law, he has no right to take the 10 per cent IGR of the Area Councils to clear the outstanding debt of the teachers.

“However, the chairmen have all agreed because they also, collectively, want an end to the strike and so we have agreed that the 10 per cent IGR should go to the teachers,” he stated.

National President of NANs, Olushola Oladoja, on his part, lauded the resolutions, expressing hope that the outcome would finally tackle the matter for the teachers return to class rooms.

Oladoja commended the Minister for taking the bold initiative, expressing optimism that no Chairman would take the Minister to court for making such a decision.

“However, I believe because the council chairmen also want the issue resolved, they have no option but to concede the IGR for six months,” he said.

On his part, NUT Chairman, Mohammed Shafa, accepted decisions, but declined to call off the strike, saying he would get back to the NUT State Executive Council, for the final decision to be reached.

Recall that, for over three months, the primary school teachers downed tools over non-implementation of the ₦70,000 minimum wage.