The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stepped into the ongoing teachers crisis in Abuja, ordering the direct payment of allowances and emoluments in a bid to resolve the prolonged dispute.
Wike made the announcement after a meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Abuja, expressing concern over procedural lapses and warning that continued industrial action could severely impact schoolchildren.
The minister criticized the exclusion of area council chairmen from earlier negotiations, noting that their absence undermined efforts to reach a comprehensive resolution. He revealed that he had chaired multiple meetings on the issue and elished a committee to address unpaid allowances and welfare concerns.
In a decisive move, Wike said he intercepted Internally Generated Revenue allocations meant for area councils and directed that the funds be paid directly to settle outstanding obligations owed to teachers. He emphasized that while primary school teachers’ salaries fall under the responsibility of local councils, the FCT Administration had to intervene to prevent disruption in the education system.
“I was surprised to learn there were plans to continue the strike despite ongoing efforts,” Wike said, stressing that education remains a top priority and that repeated strikes would harm students’ learning.
Chairman of the union’s FCT wing, Abdullahi Shafa, described the meeting as productive and acknowledged improvements in infrastructure and welfare initiatives. However, he maintained that key issues such as unpaid entitlements, delayed promotions, and staffing shortages are still unresolved.
Shafa added that the strike has not yet been suspended, as union leaders will review the outcome of the meeting before making a final decision.
The teachers’ strike, which began last week, was triggered by unresolved demands including unpaid salary increases and allowances, leaving thousands of students affected across the FCT.
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