The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Rivers State Council, has directed the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, to suspend further deductions from teachers’ salaries for the union’s End-Well Cooperative Scheme, following opposition from some teachers who said they were not interested in the scheme.
The directive came as some teachers planned to protest in Port Harcourt on Friday, August 28, over deductions made from their June and August salaries for the scheme, with concerns that the deductions could continue in subsequent months.
In a statement signed by the NLC State Chairperson, Alex Agwanwor, and State Secretary, Mathew Olabe, the Congress said it was aware of the internal issues between the NUT leadership and some of its members over the scheme but had decided to intervene because of the planned protest.
The NLC said it was particularly concerned that the protest was coming amid the ongoing Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, conference in Port Harcourt, which, according to the Congress, could give the action a political dimension and portray the state in a negative light.
The labour body also said it had established that plans for a counter-protest by an opposing group had been concluded, raising fears of a possible clash between the groups.
The NLC therefore directed teachers who were aggrieved over the deductions to put the planned protest on hold and stay away from it, warning that this was necessary to prevent fracas and possible casualties.
“We are particularly concerned with the fact that the planned protest for tomorrow 28th August, 2026 has political inclination to project the State in negative light in view of the ongoing Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) conference in Port Harcourt,” the statement said.
The Congress said its intervention was aimed at creating room for wider consultation with the NUT leadership and addressing the concerns and fears of the affected teachers.
“We are compelled beyond circumstances to intervene by directing the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to suspend further deductions on Teachers salary into the End Well Scheme,” the NLC said.
The NLC urged the NUT leadership to suspend the deductions while consultations continue towards finding an amicable resolution to the disagreement.
It also called on relevant security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering and investigate the issues surrounding the scheme.
The controversy follows the NUT’s introduction of the End-Well Cooperative Scheme, which the union says is intended to provide teachers with financial support before and after retirement.
The NUT Rivers State Chairman, Donatus Samuel, had explained to Daily Post that the scheme was designed to give teachers something to fall back on after retirement, particularly while they wait for the processing and payment of their gratuity.
According to Samuel, participating teachers are expected to contribute N2,000 monthly, with individual records to be kept for all contributions.
He said the accumulated funds would provide financial support to members when they retire, while also allowing serving teachers who require assistance to obtain loans from the cooperative at relatively low interest rates.
Samuel said the scheme was discussed with the union’s 23 branch executives before its introduction and stressed that the funds would be managed by the NUT, with no external body in charge of the money.
The NUT chairman also said branch chairmen had been directed to meet with teachers across the various local government areas to explain the scheme and address their concerns.
He expressed surprise at reports that teachers were not interested in the scheme, saying no teacher had formally approached the union to reject it.
NLC orders Rivers NUT to halt deductions from teachers’ salaries