I Will Withhold 10% Of Your Allocation – Wike Threatens Council Chairs Over Teachers Strike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared intentions to withhold 10 percent of the statutory allocation to Area Councils due to their failure to implement the new minimum wage for primary school teachers, which has resulted in an ongoing strike.

Naijaonpoint reports that Wike made this announcement in a press release from the FCT Administration on Monday, May 12.

The statement indicated that the Minister expressed his disappointment that, despite his intervention and directive for the release of funds to the councils, the teachers’ strike persists, causing disruptions to academic activities throughout the territory.

The Minister noted that he had previously engaged with the Council Chairmen at the onset of the strike to comprehend the reasons behind their inability to pay, and he had instructed that funds be released to them to enable the payment of the new minimum wage, labeling the ongoing 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.

In response to the crisis, Wike announced the establishment of a committee tasked with ensuring that funds allocated by the FCT Administration are directly disbursed to the affected teachers, circumventing the Area Councils if necessary.

Furthermore, the Minister revealed the FCT Administration’s plans to commemorate the second anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, although specific details regarding the celebration were not provided.

The ongoing strike by primary school teachers affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), which has persisted for several weeks, is a protest against the Area Councils’ failure to pay the new minimum wage.

The union maintains that the strike will continue until all entitlements owed to its members are fully settled.