Wike Signs Over ₦12bn For FCT Workers January Salary

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),Dr Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday announced that he has approved and signed over ₦12 billion for the payment of January salaries, hours after the National Industrial Court ordered striking FCT workers to suspend their industrial action and return to work.

Briefing journalists in Abuja after the court ruling, Wike said the approval underscored the administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, even as he warned that further defiance of the court order would attract disciplinary measures.

“I just signed January salaries amounting to over ₦12 billion today,” the minister disclosed. “That means even if the FCT receives ₦10 billion as its statutory allocation, it is not enough to pay salaries and run the administration. That is why we rely heavily on Internally Generated Revenue.”

Wike explained that the FCT is entitled to one percent of federal revenue, which often falls short of its wage bill and development obligations.

He noted that when he assumed office, the FCT’s Internally Generated Revenue stood at about ₦9 billion, but has since increased to ₦30 billion.

“That is progress, and workers should acknowledge it,” he said, adding that efforts to improve IGR had often been misunderstood by the public.

The minister also highlighted structural reforms in the FCT civil service, saying that before the current administration, there was no Civil Service Commission, no permanent secretaries, and workers retired at the level of director.

“It was under this administration that permanent secretaries were appointed, a Head of Service was created, and a Civil Service Commission was established to oversee promotions and welfare,” Wike said.

He dismissed claims that he was chased out of his office during the strike, describing them as deliberate misinformation driven by political interests.

“I was in my office, went to the airport to see Mr President, who travelled to Turkey, and returned. These stories are deliberate misinformation,” he stated.

Responding to questions on what workers should expect following the court ruling, Wike insisted that the rule of law must prevail.

“Disobeying the law has consequences. From tomorrow, any worker who refuses to resume work will face disciplinary action” he warned.

He stressed that certain demands, including tenure extensions, were matters of leadership prerogative and did not justify strike action.

“Nigeria must operate under the rule of law. No one will stagnate this administration through blackmail or political games,” Wike declared.

President of the Joint Union Action Committee, FCTA, Mrs. Rifkatu Iortyer, appealed to the angry workers to be law-abiding, following today’s order of interluctory injunction to avoid casualties.

The court ruling is expected to pave the way for a return to normal services across the FCT, even as tensions between the administration and labour unions over outstanding welfare and policy issues remain.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji