The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has announced plans to withhold 10 percent of the statutory allocation to Area Councils over their failure to implement the new minimum wage for primary school teachers, which has led to an ongoing strike.
Wike made the disclosure in a press statement issued by the FCT Administration on Monday, May 12.
According to the statement, the Minister expressed disappointment that despite his intervention and directive for funds to be released to the councils, the teachers’ strike has continued, disrupting academic activities across the territory.
The Minister said he had engaged with the Council Chairmen at the commencement of the strike to understand the reasons for their inability to pay, adding that he directed that funds should be released to them to facilitate the payment of the new minimum wage, describing the continued strike as embarrassing.
“I have limits; I cannot sack them because they are elected. Therefore, I have taken the step to withhold 10 percent of their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR),” the Minister added.
To address the crisis, Wike disclosed that a committee will be set up to ensure that funds released by the FCT Administration are paid directly to the affected teachers, bypassing the Area Councils if necessary.
Additionally, the Minister also unveiled plans by the FCT Administration to mark the second anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, although further details of the celebration were not disclosed.
The strike by primary school teachers under the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), which has lasted for several weeks, is in protest against the non-payment of the new minimum wage by the Area Councils. The union insists that the strike will not be called off until the full entitlements of its members are paid.
