The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to Area Council Chairmen in Abuja, threatening to use their 10 percent Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to pay striking primary school teachers.
Wike’s warning came during an inspection of the ongoing reconstruction of the Abuja-Karshi road, where he fielded questions from journalists. Expressing concern over the prolonged strike, emphasizing that no responsible government would tolerate the idling of teachers and students.
“No serious government will allow their teachers to stay at home while the children are suffering, I will not tolerate that,” Wike stated.
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The minister revealed that he had invited the Area Council Chairmen and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) for discussions to resolve the issue. “I’ve invited the area council chairmen and then I’ve invited the NUT, and let’s sit down. These are the things we talk about. We try to do what we can do in order to see that the system is moving well.”
Wike’s ultimatum targets six Area Council Chairmen who have allegedly failed to pay the teachers’ outstanding salaries. “And that will mean that if the teachers are not paid, I will use the 10% IGR, which we normally pay them to pay the teachers,” he warned.
According to him, strike has left thousands of primary school students in Abuja at home, highlighting concerns over the impact on their education and well-being.
Wike’s intervention aimed to resolve the dispute and ensure the prompt resumption of academic activities.
The development has sparked mixed reactions from stakeholders, with some hailing the minister’s decisive action and others criticizing the move as an overreach of authority.
The outcome of Wike’s negotiations with the Area Council Chairmen and NUT remains eagerly anticipated.