Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has resolved the protracted disputes between the six Area Councils and the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT).
Wike also revealed that the dispute between the councils and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) was equally resolved.
The minister made the disclosure during a security meeting with the FCT Councils of Chiefs, in Abuja on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the FCT wing of the NUT had on Jan. 15, directed primary school teachers in the FCT to begin an indefinite strike.
The strike was a continuation of an earlier one suspended by the union in 2023 over non-payment of 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance and 25 months minimum wage arrears, among other issues.
The NUT suspended the strike on Oct. 2, 2023, to allow for the resolution of the issues within six weeks which was not achieved.
On the other hand, NULGE had equally drawn battle lines with the area councils’ chairmen over similar entitlements, including hazard allowance and pension, among other unresolved issues.
However, the Chairman, FCT Council of Chiefs and Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, appealed to the minister to wade into the crises, lamenting that children were wasting away at home due to the ongoing strike.
While announcing the resolution of the disputes, the minister said that the FCTA would settle 40 per cent each of the debt owed to the striking teachers and local government employees.
He added that the area councils on their parts, would settle the remaining 60 per cent respectively.
“I met with NUT, and the area council chairmen. So, what we have done; the debt owned by the area councils, FCTA has come in to take away 40 percent of it, while the councils will settle the remaining 60 per cent.
“This will be done monthly, and they have agreed.
“The same with NULGE, FCTA has taken 40 per cent, let them (area councils) pay the remaining 60 per cent.
“We will be paying every month and in the next three to four months, we will finish settling the debt,” the minister said.
