The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved and signed the payment of over ₦12bn as January salaries for workers of the FCT Administration following a court ruling that suspended the ongoing strike by the workers.
Wike disclosed this while addressing journalists in his office shortly after the court decision, insisting that the FCT Administration had largely met the legitimate demands of the workers despite the industrial action.
“I just signed January salaries amounting to over ₦12 billion,” the minister said, noting that the FCT receives only one per cent of federal revenue. “If the Federal Government earns ₦1 trillion, the FCT gets about ₦10 billion.
That allocation alone cannot even cover salaries, not to talk of running the administration.”He explained that the administration initially opted for dialogue when the strike began, but was forced to seek legal intervention after political interests allegedly hijacked the action.
“When the strike started, we believed in dialogue. We felt the issues could be resolved through discussion. But when it became clear that politicians have hijacked the strike, we had no choice but to go to court and allow the law to decide,” Wike said.
The minister acknowledged workers’ right to protest in a democracy but stressed that strike action should be a last resort, especially when government had addressed most of the demands presented by labour unions.
“This is a democracy. Everyone has the right to protest. But if workers made 14 demands and government addressed like 10, there should be room for understanding and patience,” he added.
Drawing from his experience as a former governor and local government chairman, Wike said government does not deny legitimate entitlements but cautioned against expectations that all demands can be met at once.
He also dismissed reports that he was chased out of office during the strike, describing them as false and politically motivated.
“I was in my office, went to the airport to see Mr President, travelled to Turkey, and returned. These stories are deliberate misinformation,” he said.
On revenue challenges, Wike disclosed that the FCT Administration had significantly improved its Internally Generated Revenue, increasing it from about ₦9bn when he assumed office to ₦30bn.
He highlighted key reforms under the current administration, including the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, the appointment of permanent secretaries and the creation of the Office of the Head of Service.
“Before now, workers retired at the director level, but they can now rise to Permanent Secretary.
This was made possible by the Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said, adding that the government must balance wage obligations with infrastructure development.
Following the court order suspending the strike, Wike warned that any worker who fails to resume duties would face disciplinary action.
“Disobeying the law has consequences. From tomorrow, any worker who refuses to resume work will face disciplinary action. Anyone who attempts to block government facilities will face the full weight of the law,” he said, insisting that engagement with labour unions remained ongoing.
