The payment of the new National Minimum Wage (NMW) to workers in the area councils and primary school teachers has been approved by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territoty, Mohammed Musa Bello, and is effective from May, 2021.
This was contained in a letter from the Director of Human Resources of the FCT Administration (FCTA), Mohammed Bashir, informing the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) of the approval.
Bashir noted in the letter that, “I am directed to inform you that the ministerial committee constituted by the FCTA to carry out the above mentioned exercise concluded the assignment and forwarded the report accordingly.
“Thus, it is gratifying to note that after due consideration, the administration has approved payment of the new national minimum wage to LEA teachers and area council staff with effect from May, 2021.”
Recall that in January 2021, Bello had urged both the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and National Union of Teachers to carry out screening of their members in the FCT to enable the FCTA know the staff strength.
The NUT had threatened to resume strike if the FCTA failed to commence payment of the minimum wage to primary school teachers in the territory.
However, the FCT NUT suspended its proposed resumption of industrial action, which was slated for Monday, May, 3, 2021.
Margaret I. Jethro, the acting Secretary of the FCT NUT disclosed this while speaking with newsmen at the end of an emergency meeting of the FCT wing of the executive committee of the union in Gwagwalada on Saturday.
She said the union’s decision to put the resumption of the strike action on hold was as a result of the renewed assurances and the letter of commitment by the FCTA to ensure implementation of the minimum wage.
However, she threatened that, “But in the event that the FCTA management reneges on its promise, the union will be compelled to reconvene by the end of May, 2021, to take appropriate labour action.”
