FCT Workers, Teachers Protest Non-payment of Wages and Benefits

On Thursday, primary school teachers and local government employees from the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) six Area Councils protested peacefully in Abuja, protesting the ongoing non-payment of their rights and the recently agreed minimum wage.
To voice their displeasure with the Area Council Chairmen’s failure to implement the ₦70,000 minimum salary and other related perks, the protesters, who were united under the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), marched through the streets.
Education and council personnel from all six area councils participated widely in the long-awaited demonstration, which was first scheduled for Wednesday.

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The unions complained about what they called unfair treatment in comparison to their direct FCT Administration coworkers, who are already enjoying the benefits of the new wage structure.
Comrade Sa’ad Abdulmumin, the FCT Secretary of NULGE, told reporters in Gwagwalada on Monday that the nonviolent demonstration was an intentional attempt to draw national attention to the ongoing disregard for their rights.

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has authorized and disbursed ₦4.1 billion expressly for the implementation of the new minimum wage, but the six council chairmen have not complied, Abdulmumin emphasized.

He also noted that the council leaders had not implemented the ₦30,000 wage award, the 25–35% salary adjustments, the 40% unique allowance, or the 35% adjustment under the CONHESS/CONMESS salary structures, in addition to the minimum wage.

In addition, no pension deductions have been sent to the employees’ Pension Fund Administrators (PFA).

Abdulmumin expressed regret that the area council chairmen have not been willing to resolve the issues despite multiple industrial actions by the impacted personnel, calling their position “adamant, unmoved, and insensitive” to the well-being of the teachers and staff.