FCT NLC Strike: Schools Shut As ASUSS, NANS Reject Action

The indefinite strike declared by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday recorded partial compliance across the territory, as several government schools shut their gates, while some workers in the FCT Administration continued with their normal duties.

The industrial action followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, over unresolved labour disputes and policy grievances affecting teachers.

When LEADERSHIP visited some government primary and secondary schools in Dutse, Kubwa and Garki on Thursday, the schools were under lock and key, with no teaching or administrative activities taking place.

However, workers in some offices of the FCT Administration were seen at their duty posts, indicating that compliance with the strike was not uniform on the first day.

The secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, Mrs Margaret Jethro, said compliance in schools stood at between 70 and 80 per cent on the first day.

She expressed confidence that compliance would increase as more workers became aware of the directive, adding that the union expected total compliance from Thursday.

But the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), FCT Chapter, and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council (JCC), FCT chapter, have rejected the strike, describing it as ill-timed and counterproductive.

The organisations spoke at an interactive session with members of the Abuja Residents Youth Association and the League of Civil Society Groups, where they warned that the industrial action could disrupt the academic calendar and negatively affect the career progression of teachers and students.

The FCT chairman of ASUSS, Julius Ogundiran, said secondary school teachers in the territory had not joined the strike and remained in their classrooms.

“First, let me reaffirm our position unconditionally. ASUSS is not on strike.

“We have disassociated ourselves from the NUT strike action, and all secondary school teachers in the FCT are in their classrooms teaching,” he said.

Ogundiran said ASUSS supported legitimate demands for improved welfare and career advancement for teachers but opposed any action that could disrupt the 2026 Computer-Based Test (CBT) promotion examination scheduled for October.

He maintained that teachers’ career progression and students’ academic futures should not be compromised by labour disputes.

The ASUSS Public Relations Officer, FCT Chapter, Pastor Ibiam Cyril Johnson, said the union was neither consulted nor involved in the decision to embark on the strike.

Johnson explained that ASUSS, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), operates independently of the NUT, which is affiliated with the NLC.

“As far as FCT is concerned, we have taken our stand: we are not part of the strike, and we are not embarking on a strike,” he said.

On the contentious vacancy requirement for promotion, Johnson described it as an administrative issue governed by established policies and the Nigerian Public Service Rules.

He also said the FCT Minister had approved the inclusion of teachers who were due for promotion in 2025 alongside the 2026 batch following previous disruptions to the promotion exercise.

Johnson urged the NUT leadership to down their swords and engage the FCT Administration, the FCT Civil Service Commission and relevant education boards through constructive dialogue.

On its part, NANS JCC FCT Chapter urged labour leaders and the FCT Administration to suspend the strike in the interest of students.

The secretary-general of the association, Abdulkarim Abba Muhammad, said students should not bear the consequences of disputes between government and labour.

“Students should not pay the price for disputes between the government and labour.

“Every day away from the classroom costs learners valuable teaching time and places added pressure on families,” he said.

Muhammad also called on the FCT NLC chairman to clarify reports concerning his alleged political involvement as a candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying such clarification would help sustain public confidence and prevent workers’ grievances from being perceived as politically motivated.

Meanwhile, the FCT NLC Council Chairman, Comrade Knabayi Adalo, said the industrial action became necessary because the FCT Administration had failed to address the union’s demands.

Adalo identified the abolition of the vacancy requirement for teachers’ promotion as one of the major demands, describing the policy as a major cause of career stagnation and demoralisation among teachers.

He also demanded the immediate withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to directors in agencies under the Education Secretariat who benefited from the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022.

According to him, the union also wants teachers who were eligible for promotion in 2025 to be allowed to sit for the promotion examination alongside the 2026 batch.

Other demands, he said, included the dissolution and reinstatement of the management teams of the FCT Secondary Education Board (SEB) and the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB).

Adalo expressed dissatisfaction with the FCT Administration’s handling of the disputes, describing its response to the workers’ demands as unclear, unconvincing and lacking sincerity.

He insisted that the position of the administration was unacceptable to the union and called for the outstanding issues to be addressed.