Abuja primary school teachers suspend strike

Primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have suspended the strike they embarked upon in March.

Daily Trust had reported how the teachers embarked on strike over the non-payment of N70,000 new minimum wage and backlogs of arrears by the six area council chairmen.

Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) across the six area councils and some stakeholders where the minister informed the union of withholding 10 percent of the allocation meant for the local councils so that the council chairmen could settle backlog of arrears.

But in a communiqué, which was jointly signed by the state chairman of the FCT wing of the NUT, Comrade Abdullahi Mohammed Shafas, Secretary, Comrade Margaret F. Jethro, and Publicity Secretary , Comrade Ibukun Adekeye, the teachers announced an end to the strike.

They said the decision to suspend the ongoing strike action followed the released of the ten percent IGR of the six area council chairmen, amounting to N16 billion to augment for the payment of new minimum wage for the month of June and 60 percent payment of nine months arrears to the teachers.

The communique reads in part, “Having deliberated exhaustively on the aforementioned offers, including the positive disposition of the honorable minister for the taken over payment of the primary school teachers emoluments by the FCTA, the SWEC in session resolved to suspend the strike action on the release of the N16 billion and its payment to the teachers accounts.”

“Consequent upon the implementation of the new minimum wage and payment of five months arrears into the teachers accounts today, 8th,July, 2025. The SWEC hereby suspend the ongoing strike action from Wednesday, 9, July, 2025 to return to the classrooms and continue with their legitimate duties while the union intensifies more efforts to ensure the settlement of the remaining entitlements.”