In a major concession aimed at ending the over three-month-long strike by public school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the six Area Council Chairmen have agreed to forfeit 10 percent of their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the next six months to offset accumulated salaries and allowances owed to teachers.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The resolution was reached following a closed-door meeting convened on Thursday by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, at the conference room of his official residence in Abuja. The meeting brought together the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and the six Area Council Chairmen.

The teachers’ grievances stemmed from the non-implementation of a tripartite agreement signed on December 11, 2024, which promised a N70,000 minimum wage, payment of 25–35% salary arrears, a 40% peculiar allowance, the N35,000 wage award introduced by the Federal Government, and the settlement of several years of promotion arrears.

Speaking on behalf of the council chairmen, Abubakar Abdullahi, Chairman of Abaji Area Council, confirmed the decision to channel their six-month IGR allocation toward resolving the impasse.

“The minister has directed that 10 percent of the IGR of all six councils be used to pay the teachers. Although it is a painful decision, we accepted it in good faith because we want the pupils back in school,” Abdullahi said.

He appealed to the NUT to suspend the strike in the interest of the students, acknowledging that the intervention by Minister Wike, although outside his legal purview, reflected his commitment to resolving the matter.

“By law, the minister doesn’t have the authority to withhold our IGR, but out of a desire to bring an end to this issue, we collectively agreed to make this sacrifice,” he explained.

The chairmen pleaded with the NUT to call off the strike and allow academic activities to resume.

NANS President, Olushola Ladoja, who addressed journalists after the meeting, disclosed that the union had requested 70 percent payment of the owed entitlements, which was matched by the amount recoverable from the councils’ IGR.

“The minister agreed to release that sum and urged the teachers to end the strike. A committee, including NANS representatives, has also been constituted to review the remaining demands and submit a report within two weeks,” Ladoja added.

He also commended Minister Wike for his intervention, despite legal limitations surrounding the move.

Meanwhile, FCT NUT Chairman, Abdullahi Shafas, said the union’s state wing executive council would meet to deliberate on the government’s offer and decide the next steps.