Rita Odafe
Nyesom Wike
Nyesom Wike, who serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has threatened to allocate ten percent of the Internally Generated Revenue intended for Area Councils to compensate primary school teachers currently on strike in the FCT.
This statement was made on Thursday during his inspection of the ongoing Apo-Karshi Road project.
Wike emphasized that he will not allow the ongoing strike, which has lasted over a week, to impact children’s education, claiming that no responsible government would tolerate such a situation.
It is worth noting that the teachers resumed their strike on September 18, 2024, following a 14-day ultimatum issued by the FCT Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers to the Area Council Chairmen.
The educators are demanding several things, including a 40% Peculiar Allowance and the payment of 25 months of Minimum Wage Arrears.
The minister mentioned that he has reached out to the Area Council Chairmen and the FCT NUT leadership to engage in discussions regarding the situation.
“I’ve invited the Area Council Chairmen and the NUT to join me in discussions. We need to talk about these issues and find solutions. It is unfortunate that the teachers are currently on strike,” Wike remarked.
“If the teachers remain unpaid, I will utilize 10% of the IGR, which hasn’t been disbursed to them, to ensure they receive their payments. I refuse to just sit and watch while children suffer; no serious government can allow teachers to be inactive,” he asserted.
On the topic of the Apo-Karshi project, Wike reported that the contractor, Messrs Khakatar Limited, has committed to completing the work by April 2025. He decided to give the contractor a chance to fulfill this timeline.
“I do have my reservations, but they are confident that the project will be finished by April. This project holds great significance for us, and many are eagerly anticipating its timely completion to ease traffic and promote local economic growth. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt,” he expressed.
