The spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka, has stated that the FCT administration is not owing any salary to workers currently on strike.
Olayinka made this known on Wednesday during an interview on a television programme. He explained that despite claims suggesting unpaid wages, the government has settled all salary obligations to staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
According to him, the only salary that could be described as pending is that of January 2026, noting that the month had not yet ended at the time the strike began.
“There is this mindset that it’s because the government is owing salaries. No salary is being owed. The government is not owing staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) a dime in terms of salary,” he said.
His remarks came as the strike by FCT workers continued over what the unions described as unmet demands by the administration.
Addressing the issue of promotion arrears, which is one of the workers’ complaints, Olayinka said approval had already been given for payment.
“As at December last year, the minister already approved N286.1 million for the payment of these arrears,” he said.
He added that the process was already ongoing. “The minister has approved, and it’s at the treasury level — payment is being processed. What else do you want the minister to do?” he asked.
Olayinka also reacted to claims that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, refused to meet with the workers.
“The minister did not give you an audience? He sent people led by the Head of Service to hold meetings — several meetings with the union leaders, the Head of Service, Chief of Staff to the minister, Permanent Secretary of Common Services, and the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission,” he said.
He questioned the criticism further, saying, “Those are the people the minister sent, and you are saying the minister did not give you an audience. How else do you want him to give you one?”
The strike began on January 19, when workers of the FCTA and FCDA shut down activities across Abuja over what they called ‘unmet demands’ by the FCT administration.
The industrial action affected all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils, and parastatals within the Federal Capital Territory.
Reacting earlier, Minister Nyesom Wike said the workers submitted 14 demands, out of which the government had already addressed 10.
“So what then is the issue?” he asked.
Wike also said efforts by security agencies and FCT management to engage the unions through dialogue had not yielded results, insisting that there was more behind the strike than the stated demands.
However, on Tuesday, Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court ordered the striking workers to suspend the industrial action pending the hearing and determination of the case before the court.
The judge ruled that once a dispute is referred to the National Industrial Court, all forms of industrial action, including strikes, must be halted.
Following the court order, Wike warned that any FCTA worker who failed to resume work from Wednesday, January 28, would face disciplinary measures.
He said the administration had met with union representatives and that all their grievances had been discussed.