- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has broken silence over the ongoing strike by primary school teachers at the capital city.
NPO Reported last week’s protest by FCT pupils led by Nigerian social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
The activist had disclosed that the teachers had been on strike for the past nine weeks in agitation for the non-implementation the new minimum wage with the teachers still being paid N30,000 as against the new N70,000 minimum wage.
Speaking during his monthly media parley on Thursday, Wike disclosed that the Area Councils are responsible for the payment of the teachers’ salaries and not the FCT Administration.
While slamming the media over lack of investigative journalism to identify the background of situations, the FCT Minister disclosed the ministry’s several attempts to intervene over the crisis.
“That is what I’ve always told people that, I’m sorry to say this, but I have to deal personally with you (the media). It has to do with our kind of journalism.
“We don’t carry out what we call investigative journalism. You just see somebody carrying placards, this and that, have you gone to find out whose responsibility? It is not our responsibility. It is the Area Councils. Several times we have gone to intervene.
“Have you heard any secondary school on strike? Have you heard that we don’t pay workers their salaries”” He asked.
Wike also cited the FCT Administration’s acknowledgement of the local government autonomy as another factor for its limited interference in the situation.
“Remember too. You have always talked about the autonomy of local government. You are forcing me to seize their funds. Tomorrow you will say governors, FCT Minister always collect the money allocated to the local governments. It is their responsibility.” He said.
The FCT Minister further disclosed how the FCTA bailed out the Area Councils with 60 percent payment of the money owed to the teachers.
Wike however faulted the implementation of the minimum wage which he claimed failed to consider the peculiarities of each sector.
“The last time, we had to bail them out with 60 percent of the money. This time around we sat.
“The teachers should also try to understand too. We know and that is one of the problems we have in this country today on top of our democracy and federalism where you fix minimum wage for everybody without considering the pecularities.
“Now you have said this is what they are going to earn. But you will not find out what is the allocation to the council and how much did they make? Do they have the capacity to pay this? Why wouldn’t you have allowed them to negotiate?” He asked
Wike however called for the amendment of law concerning the administration of the FCT which will give the ministry and area council enabling hands to thrive.