The Federal Capital Territory Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress has officially suspended its indefinite strike, directing all affected workers, particularly primary and secondary school teachers, to return to their classrooms on Wednesday.
The decision was made public through a communique issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the union’s FCT Chairman, Knabayi Adalo.
According to Mr Adalo, the resolution to end the industrial action came after conciliatory discussions involving the labour union, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, the Federal Capital Territory Administration management, and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
He noted that the agreement was formally adopted during an emergency State Executive Council meeting at the Labour House in the Central Business District, Abuja.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, he stated that the strike was called off in the spirit of social dialogue and industrial harmony, following significant compromises regarding career progression and administrative guidelines for teachers.
“On vacancy provision for education officers, it was resolved that promotion vacancies for education officers will align with established positions declared by the FCT Education Secretariat,” he stated.
“The council noted that an upcoming exit of directorate officers would clear the path for the upward mobility of eligible officers.”
He added that following the FCT Executive Council’s approval and communication to the FCT Civil Service Commission regarding the 2025 promotion examination, a new date will soon be communicated to allow qualified candidates to participate.
Addressing another critical point of contention, Mr Adalo noted, “Regarding the deployment of officers benefiting from the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers back into classrooms, stakeholders agreed to maintain the FCT Executive Council’s directive, stepping down the process until further notice.”
However, the union chief emphasized that certain conditions must be met to guarantee that authorities stick to their promises. He revealed that the NLC will establish a dedicated monitoring committee to track and enforce the agreed terms within defined timelines.
He cautioned that if the FCTA or other relevant agencies fail to implement the resolutions, the strike will automatically resume without any prior warning.
Reassuring union members, Mr Adalo stated that a binding agreement was reached ensuring that no worker or teacher would face victimization, penalties, or reprisals for taking part in the strike.
He commended the resilience of FCT teachers and expressed appreciation for the solidarity demonstrated by affiliate unions, the Ministry of Labour, and the FCTA management throughout the negotiations.
The industrial action originally commenced on October 7, following directives from the NLC to all FCT Administration workers and private sector employees to strike over long-standing labour disputes and policy issues affecting teachers.
