The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of Traditional Rulers has stepped into a strike that has grounded schools, health centres and area council secretariats across the territory since March. Led by their chairman and Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, the royal fathers met yesterday with leaders of the National Association of Midwives and Medical Nurses of Nigeria (FCT chapter), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to seek a resolution.
In the meeting, held at the traditional rulers’ secretariat, the council warned that rural communities risk being cut off from basic services unless area council chairmen and labour leaders find common ground.
“Our schools and primary health centres are on the brink of collapse,” Alhaji Yunusa told the unions. “We ask you to release desk officers at health centres so that patients, including those with tuberculosis and HIV, can continue treatment without interruption.”
Primary school teachers, health workers and other area-council staff have been on strike since 1 March, demanding full implementation of the new national minimum wage, clearance of arrears running into ten months, and payment of a 40 per cent “peculiar allowance” owed by the six area council chairmen. To press their demands, unions have closed primary schools, locked council offices and shuttered health outposts.
Beyond health-care access, traditional rulers expressed concern for nearly 10,000 pupils in Primary Six across the six area councils, who will be unable to sit entrance examinations for Junior Secondary School (JSS 1) this September if their teachers do not permit it.
“We plead with you to allow Primary Six pupils to write their promotional exams,” the council chairman said. “Their entire next academic year depends on it.”
Comrade Stephen Knabayi, president of the FCT Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), thanked the chiefs for their intervention but underscored the unions’ frustration at stalled negotiations.
“We have met repeatedly with the area council chairmen and the FCT Administration with no results,” he said. “Our members have outstanding arrears of almost ten months and have not received the special allowance they are entitled to.”
The traditional rulers asked the unions to suspend planned mass protests scheduled for 7 and 9 July, so they can engage other stakeholders—including the House of Representatives Committee on FCT Area Councils and Auxiliary Matters—and broker a lasting settlement.
“We will convene our own meeting with the six area council chairmen,” Alhaji Yunusa pledged, “to work out a concrete way forward.”
Attending yesterday’s session alongside the chairmen were the Esu of Bwari, Dr. Ibrahim Yaro (JP); Sa’Rubochiyi of Rubochi, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Pada; Agabe of Gwargwada-Ugbada, Alhaji Hussein Agabi Mam; Aguma of Gwomani, Alhaji Adamu Saba; and Etsu-Mi Wako, Alhaji Usman Abdulazeez. Other participants included the Sa’Karuyi of Karu, Joseph Danfulani Narayi; Etsu of Kwali, Luka Ayedo Nizasan; Chief of Garki, Alhaji Usman Ngakup; Sarkin Pai, Alhaji Abubakar Sani; Gomo of Kuje, Haruna Jibrin Tanko; and Etsu of Yaba, Alhaji Aliyu Yakubu.
The intervention follows a promise by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to mediate in the dispute, but as of late June, no breakthrough has been reported.
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