Wike : I May Use Area Councils IGR to Pay Striking Teachers
Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, said he might intervene by using 10 per cent of internally generated revenue (IGR) meant for the Area Councils to pay FCT primary school teachers, who are striking over the non-payment of their arrears.
He disclosed this to reporters yesterday during inspection of the ongoing Apo-Karshi Road project.
Primary school teachers in public schools under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) FCT Wing had last week embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of their outstanding entitlements and other unresolved industrial issues.
The Union in a communiqué signed by State (FCT) Chairman, Comrade Abdullahi Shafa, and issued at the end of the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) meeting of the NUT FCT Wing held in Abuja, said it resolved and directed all the primary school teachers in the Territory to resume the suspended strike action with effect from last week’s Wednesday.
However, Wike said he would not allow children to be affected by the strike which has gone on for over a week, adding that no serious government would allow it.
The teachers had resumed their strike on September 18, 2024, following a 14-day ultimatum previously issued to the Area Council Chairmen by the FCT Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers.
The teachers were demanding among others, the implementation of 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance, and payment of 25 months Minimum Wage Arrears.
But a miffed Wike said he had already invited the Chairmen of the Area Council and the FCT NUT leadership to discuss the issue.
“I have invited the Area Council Chairmen and then I have invited the NUT, and let us 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. It is unfortunate, which I told the Area Council Chairmen, that the teachers are on strike.
“And that will mean that if the teachers are not paid, then I will use the 10 per cent IGR, which nobody paid to them, to pay the teachers. I will not fold my arms and allow that to happen. No serious government will allow their teachers to stay at home while the children are suffering, I will not tolerate that”, he said.
The minister also added that he had given
Messrs Khakatar Limited, the contractor handling the Apo-Karshi project, the benefit of the doubt after the latter assured he would complete the project by April 2025 .
“I still have my doubt, but they are still insisting that by April, they would have completed this project. It is a project very dear to us, we know the importance of this road. So many people are eager to see that this project is completed on time, so that it will ease off a lot of traffic and also will boost the economic activities of this area. Let us give them the benefit of doubt,” he said.
