The Chairmen of Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have urged public primary school teachers to end their ongoing strike and return to the classroom, assuring that efforts to implement the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000 are already in motion.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, the Chairman of Bwari Area Council and Secretary of the FCT chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. John Gabaya, confirmed that councils have started adjusting their wage structures in response to the new policy.
He was joined by the ALGON FCT Chairman and Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Hon. Danladi Chiya, who echoed the commitment of council leaders to resolving the crisis.
The teachers, under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), have been on strike since December 2023, demanding full implementation of the wage increase along with the settlement of outstanding entitlements.
Earlier efforts to resolve the dispute in February fell through, prolonging the strike and keeping public primary schools closed across the FCT.
Hon. Gabaya appealed to the teachers to consider the negative impact the prolonged strike is having on pupils, noting that councils remain open to further dialogue.
“Our priority is getting our children back into the classroom,” he said.
Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had earlier warned that councils failing to comply with wage implementation may face federal sanctions, including a withholding of 10% of their statutory allocations.
As negotiations are expected to resume soon, many parents and education stakeholders are hopeful that public schools across the territory will reopen in the coming days.
