Abuja — The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the FCT Administration remains open to reasonable dialogue with striking workers, following a court ruling ordering them to call off the strike and resume work.
Wike made the clarification while addressing journalists in Abuja, insisting that the administration had substantially met workers’ legitimate demands before resorting to legal action to restore order.
According to the minister, the strike was not a new issue, stressing that while the government respects workers’ rights, some of the demands exceeded what employees were lawfully entitled to.
“The issue of the strike is not new. I believe the administration has reasonably met the demands of the workers. However, some of the demands are frivolous and go beyond what workers are legitimately entitled to,” Wike said.
He explained that the FCT Administration initially chose dialogue over confrontation, noting that the government did not immediately approach the court when the strike began.
“When the strike started, we did not rush to court. We believed in dialogue and engagement. But when it became clear that politicians were about to hijack the strike, we had no option but to seek legal intervention,” he stated.
Wike said the court action was necessary to allow an impartial resolution of the matter rather than allowing propaganda and misinformation to dominate public discourse.
While acknowledging the right to protest in a democratic system, the minister emphasized that strike action should always be a last resort.
“If workers ask for 14 days and government addresses issues within 10 days, there should be room for understanding,” he said.
Drawing from his experience as a former local government chairman and state governor, Wike said he understood labour struggles but warned that not all demands could be implemented immediately.
“Government does not deny legitimate entitlements, especially wages. But implementation often requires time,” he added.
The minister also dismissed claims circulating on social media that he was chased out of his office during the strike, describing the reports as politically motivated falsehoods.
“I was in my office, travelled to see Mr President, went to Turkey, and returned. Those stories are pure misinformation,” he said.
On the financial realities of the FCT, Wike disclosed that the territory receives only one per cent of federal revenue, making it impossible to rely solely on statutory allocation.
“If the Federal Government earns ₦1 trillion, the FCT gets about ₦10 billion. Yet I just signed January salaries of over ₦12 billion. Allocation alone cannot cover salaries and administration,” he explained.
He noted that the administration depends heavily on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), revealing that FCT IGR had grown from about ₦9 billion when he assumed office to ₦30 billion.
Wike further highlighted reforms introduced under the current administration, including the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, appointment of permanent secretaries, and creation of the Office of the Head of Service.
“You cannot expect us to spend all revenue on wages while abandoning infrastructure development,” he said.
Following the court order, the minister warned that any worker who fails to resume duty would face disciplinary action.
“From tomorrow, any worker who refuses to resume work will face disciplinary action. Anyone who blocks government facilities will face the full weight of the law,” Wike warned.
He rejected claims that dialogue had collapsed between the administration and labour unions, insisting that engagement had remained ongoing with his approval.
“No one will stagnate this administration through blackmail or political games. Nigeria must operate under the rule of law,” he declared.
Wike assured that the FCT Administration would comply fully with the court ruling and urged all parties to do the same, reaffirming his commitment to lawful dispute resolution and sustained reforms in the territory.
Comments