The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, has disassociated itself from the indefinite strike declared by the FCT Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
The chairman, Mr. Julius Ogundiran, told journalists in Abuja on Tuesday that ASUSS is not part of NUT and should not be involved in the ongoing strike.
The NUT had on Friday directed primary and secondary school teachers in the FCT to begin an indefinite strike on Monday over unresolved welfare concerns. The union cited issues including non-implementation and payment of 25% and 35% salary increments, and non-implementation and payment of a 40% peculiar allowance.
Ogundiran, however, said ASUSS would not succumb to pressure from NUT to join the strike and called on its members to disregard the union directive and resume academic activities.
He noted that while some secondary school teachers were still members of ASUSS, NUT is solely a union for primary school teachers. He advised secondary school teachers who are still members of NUT to deregister and join ASUSS, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress.
“The majority of NUT’s demands concern primary school teachers, not secondary school teachers,” Ogundiran explained. He added that secondary schools fall under the FCT Administration, while primary schools are under area councils.
According to him, the FCT Administration owes secondary school teachers nothing except addressing the removal of the “vacancies” precondition for classroom teacher promotions.
“Another issue involves the review of the 2024 promotion exercise by the FCT Civil Service Commission. However, the Head of Service and the commission are already working on it. We have no grudges with the FCT Administration and should not have been dragged into the strike,” he said.
Ogundiran further noted that issues like wage awards and the N70,000 minimum wage have already been addressed by the FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
