By PHILIP YATAI

The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, has distanced itself from the indefinite strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday.

The NLC had directed all workers in the FCT Administration, including those in the private sector, to commence an indefinite strike following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike.

The ultimatum was issued over unresolved labour disputes and policy grievances affecting teachers in the territory.

Following the directive, the FCT Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) directed teachers in primary and secondary schools to remain at home.

Reacting to the development, Mr Julius Ogundiran, Chairman of ASUSS in the FCT, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, directed secondary school teachers and education officers to report for normal academic duties.

Ogundiran said the directive followed an emergency State Executive Council (SEC) meeting of the union, which reviewed the situation and resolved to reject the strike action.

He described the industrial action as premature and detrimental to the educational welfare and academic progress of students across the FCT.

“The future and academic destiny of the Nigerian child in the classroom must not be used as collateral or held hostage at every instance of industrial disagreement,” he said.

The chairman said the union and concerned teachers were increasingly opposed to what he described as incessant, baseless and premature strikes, which he said did little to promote genuine industrial harmony.

Ogundiran maintained that none of the three major grievances raised by the NUT was sufficient to justify industrial action at the present time.

On the demand for the removal of the vacancy requirement for teachers’ promotion, he said the provision remained an entrenched statutory requirement under the Public Service Rules.

He explained that Issues concerning establishment frameworks and financial approvals required administrative negotiation and engagement rather than abrupt industrial action.

On the alleged omission of some teachers from the 2025 promotion examination, Ogundiran said the FCT Administration had already addressed the matter through administrative measures.

“ASUSS, therefore, argues that striking over an issue that has already received administrative redress is entirely uncalled for,” he said.

Regarding the redeployment of some education directors back to classrooms, he said the exercise fell within the administrative powers of management to maintain order and ensure compliance with statutory standards in the public service.

He warned that the strike appeared to be an attempt to disrupt the forthcoming 2025/2026 promotion examinations scheduled for eligible FCT education officers, directing ASUSS members to ignore the stay-at-home order and report for their scheduled assessments.

Ogundiran also appealed to parents and guardians across the FCT to release their children and wards for normal school activities.

He assured the public that ASUSS remained committed to professional integrity, social responsibility and sustained industrial harmony in the education sector. (NAN)

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