Workers in Abaji, Gwagwalada, and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) have begun receiving the N70,000 new minimum wage after weeks of strike action, while Kwali, Bwari, and Kuje councils remain outstanding. Usman Haruna Gana, Abaji NUT chairman, confirmed the payment to local teachers.
Several workers verified the payments, with Abaji staff member Shuaibu Abdullahi stating: “Yes, it is true, the new minimum wage was paid by the area council chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Abdullahi. I received alert too but I have to withdraw the money to pay debts for food stuffs and school fees of my children this morning.”
Another employee, Mrs. Abigael Yohana, added: “I also received alert reflecting the N70,000 new minimum wage on Wednesday around 9:12 pm. We pray that God will touch their heart to pay the other entitlements they are owing us by the end of this month.”
NULGE FCT President Comrade Abdullahi Ibrahim Kabir confirmed the three councils’ compliance but said the strike would continue until all pending entitlements are resolved.
“The payment of the new wage doesn’t mean that the union will call off or suspend its strike because there are other entitlements which are still pending,” he said.
The strike began last month after council chairmen claimed insufficient funds to implement the wage, despite the FCT Minister’s release of N4.17 billion, which they denied was earmarked for the increase. Workers in the three remaining councils await payment as the industrial action persists.
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