The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, will on Thursday, July 3 meet with chairmen of FCT area councils, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to discuss the reopening of public primary schools in the FCT.

Confirming the meeting in a statement, NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, and the group’s Public Relations Officer, Adeyemi Ajasa explained that it had earlier planned a mass protest at the FCT Administration Secretariat on Wednesday morning.

However, the plan changed after its leaders were invited to a high-level meeting at the Department of State Services Headquarters.

NANS revealed that at the meeting, the ongoing strike and its effects on students were discussed thoroughly, adding that the first engagement led to another strategic session with Muktar Betara, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on FCT.

NANS said the meetings helped clarify the causes of the teachers’ strike and what the Wike-led FCTA had done so far.

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It said a third meeting was held on Tuesday with Wike, where he gave further explanation.

NANS said Wike had offered a bailout plan, with the FCTA taking responsibility for 60% of the teachers’ unpaid salaries, while the councils were to pay the remaining 40%.

When this plan did not work as expected, the FCT minister withheld Internally Generated Revenue from the area councils for May and June, intending to use the funds to pay the 40% share owed by the councils.

NANS added that the withheld funds were expected to be released before the end of the week.

The student body said it has suspended the planned protest but will monitor how the resolutions are implemented.