Teachers under the Local Education Authorities (LEAs) in some Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja have begun receiving their June salaries, reflecting the new national minimum wage of ₦70,000.
This development was confirmed on Tuesday by Mr. Abdulsalam Haruna, the Coordinator of the FCT LEA Teachers’ Forum.
In a chat with Grassroots Parrot, Haruna disclosed that teachers in Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari and Gwagwalada have so far received their June salaries with the new wage rate.
He stated that while Abaji Area Council workers received four months’ arrears of the new minimum wage, LEA teachers in the council have only been paid the June salary at the ₦70,000 rate—without any arrears yet.
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“LEA teachers in Abaji, AMAC, Bwari and Gwagwalada have now started receiving their June salaries with the new ₦70,000 minimum wage. However, in Abaji, while other categories of staff have been paid four months’ arrears, LEA teachers have not received any arrears,” Haruna explained.
The payment comes amid the ongoing strike action by FCT primary school teachers, who have been protesting months of unpaid wages and poor working conditions.
Grassroots Parrot had reported that the teachers insisted the strike would continue until they were paid despite the recent intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike.
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The commencement of salary payments—though partial—is seen by some stakeholders as a possible step towards resolving the prolonged industrial dispute.