By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Striking primary school teachers in in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have insisited that there is no going back to the classrooms. until their they receive thier backlog of salaries and entitlements.
The FCT Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Abdullahi Mohammed Shafas revealed this after a crucial meeting of the union’s State Wing Executive Council at the Teachers House in Gwagwalada.
This is happening after efforts by the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike to resolve the issues in a meeting with the teachers and council leaders in his official residence in Abuja last week.
The issue of strike over non payment of salaries and entitlements of teachers in the FCT which has lingered over three months keeping children away from their classrooms.
Comrade Shafas stated that there was a unanimous resolution among the union’s members that teachers would only resume classes once they receive their outstanding payments.
. The teachers are willing to return to work as soon as they start receiving alerts for their salaries.
Comrade Shafas also commended Barr. Nyesom Wike for withholding 10% of the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) of the six area councils for the past six months due to the strike. He also appreciated the minister’s decision to set up a committee to address other pending demands of the teachers.
It would be recalled that the strike action began in March over the non-implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage, backlogs of arrears, and other entitlements.
The teachers remain adamant demanding the payment of their outstanding salaries, emphasizing,’no return to work until salaries and dues are paid.”
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