FCT Teachers Stage Sit-in, Demand 25 Months of Unpaid Wage Arrears

FCT Teachers Stage Sit-in, Demand 25 Months of Unpaid Wage Arrears

Teachers from the Local Education Authority (LEA) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have staged a sit-in protest at the secretariats of all six area councils, demanding the payment of 25 months’ worth of minimum wage arrears and other owed entitlements.

The protests took place at the secretariats in Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Kuje, where large groups of teachers, including nursing mothers, gathered at the entrances, holding placards with messages such as “Pay us our balance of 60% minimum wage arrears,” “No to unfulfilled agreements,” “Give us our rights,” “Let LEA teachers breathe,” and “Our members are dying every day without their benefits.”

Frustration ran high among the teachers, who voiced their grievances over the continuous non-payment of their entitlements by the chairmen of the area councils. They expressed that despite their dedication to educating the children of the FCT, many LEA Primary School teachers have been left in dire financial situations.

One of the protesters, Zuwaira, shared her struggles, stating, “I have four children in school, and I can’t afford their fees since my husband has been retired for over three years. The chairmen treat us like second-class citizens despite our sacrifices in our roles.”

Another teacher, Michael Azuka, explained the need for the protest, accusing the council chairmen of ignoring their financial plight despite receiving substantial monthly allocations. “None of these chairmen have their kids in public schools in the FCT, so they seem indifferent to our welfare while they indulge in building mansions and purchasing luxury cars for their associates,” he said.

The Secretary of the FCT wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Margaret Jethro, confirmed that the union had organized the sit-in to demonstrate the teachers’ dissatisfaction with the unresolved issues. She noted that despite several meetings with the council chairmen, no tangible solutions had been presented.

“We met with the chairmen last Saturday, but there was no positive outcome. They only vaguely mentioned plans to pay without committing anything in writing,” she explained. Jethro also highlighted that similar promises were made during a January meeting attended by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, but no action followed.

A follow-up meeting between the NUT and the area council chairmen is scheduled for Thursday to discuss the matter further.

Teachers remain hopeful but firm in their demands, insisting that they will not relent until their long-overdue entitlements are paid in full.