The Nigeria Union of Teachers has issued a two-week deadline to its state chapters in Gombe and Yobe to ensure the implementation of the new minimum wage for primary school teachers, warning that failure could trigger industrial action.
The union’s National President, Audu Amba, disclosed this after the National Executive Council meeting held in Abuja, expressing concern that teachers in some local government education systems were still earning the old salary despite the new wage being approved nationwide.
He criticised what he described as unequal treatment of primary school teachers, noting that other public sector workers had already begun receiving the revised pay.
“It is unfair for primary school teachers to remain on the old salary while other workers are enjoying the new minimum wage,” Amba said.
“Such selective implementation is unacceptable and cannot continue.”
Amba stressed that the delay was particularly troubling because discussions were already emerging about a possible review of the minimum wage, even though some states had yet to implement the current structure.
“The minimum wage has been in place for over a year. Instead of still debating implementation, labour leaders are already talking about reviewing it,” he added.
The NUT president said affected state chapters had been instructed to formally notify their governments of a possible indefinite strike if compliance was not achieved.
“We have directed our state branches to write their governments immediately and indicate a tentative date for strike action,” he said.
“If nothing is done within two weeks, the national leadership will take appropriate steps.”
He also warned union leaders at the state level against inaction, stating that failure to push for implementation could be interpreted as collaboration with authorities.
“Any chapter that fails to act may be seen as compromising with the government,” he warned.
The NUT had earlier threatened to shut down primary schools in states that failed to implement the new wage, recalling that teachers in the Federal Capital Territory previously embarked on a prolonged strike before enforcement was achieved.
The union says it will review feedback from the affected states at the end of the two-week period before deciding on its next line of action.
