The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the direct payment of teachers’ allowances and emoluments in a bid to resolve the lingering crisis involving primary school teachers in Abuja.
Wike announced the directive after a meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Abuja, warning that continued strikes would have devastating consequences for schoolchildren.
He expressed concern over procedural lapses in handling the dispute, noting that area council chairmen were excluded from previous meetings. According to him, it was inappropriate to hold critical discussions without involving key stakeholders directly affected by the issue.
The minister said he had presided over several meetings on the non-payment of teachers’ allowances and had set up a committee to address the matter. In a decisive move to break the deadlock, Wike revealed that he intercepted Internally Generated Revenue allocations meant for the area councils and directed the treasury to ensure direct payment of outstanding entitlements.
He described plans by teachers to embark on strike despite ongoing interventions as surprising, warning that such actions could undermine efforts to resolve the crisis. Wike reiterated that although primary school teachers’ salaries and allowances are the statutory responsibility of area councils, the FCT Administration stepped in to prevent disruption in the education system.
“Education is vital, and continuous strikes will only negatively affect our children,” he said.
Earlier, Chairman of the NUT FCT Wing, Abdullahi Shafa, described the meeting as fruitful, acknowledging efforts by the administration to improve school infrastructure and address welfare concerns.
However, Shafa noted that key issues affecting primary school teachers, particularly unpaid entitlements, remain unresolved. He also raised concerns over delayed promotions and unfilled vacancies, warning that stagnation in career progression could affect productivity in schools.
He added that the minister had assured the union of immediate action, admitting he was not previously fully briefed on the extent of the challenges.
Shafa clarified that the ongoing strike has not been suspended, stating that the union would meet to review the outcome of the engagement before taking a final decision.
