The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the FCT Administration remains open to reasonable dialogue with striking workers, even as a court has ordered them to suspend the strike and resume duties.
Wike made this known while addressing journalists in Abuja following the court ruling directing workers to return to work. He maintained that the administration had already addressed most of the workers’ legitimate demands before seeking legal intervention to restore order.
According to the minister, the issues surrounding the strike were not new, stressing that while the government recognises the rights of workers, 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, we must be honest and admit that 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 and engagement over confrontation, noting that 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 choice but to seek legal intervention,” he stated.
Wike said the decision to approach the court was aimed at allowing an impartial determination of the issues based on merit, rather than allowing misinformation and propaganda to dominate public discourse.
“This is a democracy. Everyone has the right to protest. But strike action should always be the last option. If workers ask for 14 days and government addresses the issues within 10 days, there should be room for understanding,” he said.
Drawing from his experience as a former local government chairman and governor, the minister said he understood labour struggles but cautioned that not all demands could be implemented immediately.
“When demands are legitimate, government should acknowledge them. But implementation often takes time. Government does not deny legitimate entitlements, especially wages,” he added.
Wike also dismissed claims circulating on social media that he was chased out of his office during the strike, describing such reports as false and politically motivated.
“I was in my office, travelled to see Mr President, went to Turkey, and returned. These stories are pure misinformation,” he said.
Speaking on the financial realities of the FCT, the minister disclosed that the territory receives only one per cent of federal revenue, making it impossible to depend 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. That means allocation alone cannot cover salaries and administration,” he explained, noting that the administration relies heavily on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
He revealed that FCT IGR had increased from about ₦9 billion when he assumed office to ₦30 billion, describing the growth as significant progress that workers should acknowledge.
Wike further highlighted reforms achieved under the current administration, including the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, the appointment of permanent secretaries, and the creation of the Office of the Head of Service.
“Before now, workers retired at director level. These reforms were not in place. You cannot expect us to spend all revenue on wages while abandoning infrastructure development,” he said.
Following the court order directing the suspension of the strike, the minister warned that any worker who fails to resume duty would face disciplinary action.
“Disobeying the law has consequences. 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,” he warned.
He rejected claims that dialogue between the administration and labour unions had broken down, 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,” Wike declared.
The minister 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 continued reforms in the territory.
FCT Strike: Wike Opens Door to Dialogue, Warns Workers to Obey Court Order
