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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed deep frustration over the ongoing teachers’ strike in the FCT, describing it as embarrassing and unacceptable.
In a media parley on Monday, the Minister revealed he was “shocked” and “embarrassed” to learn that teachers in the FCT had resumed their strike because the local governments had failed to pay their wages.
He acknowledged his office’s constitutional limitations in dealing directly with elected local government officials responsible for the situation.
“Now, I have a limit. What do I do? I can’t sack them because they were not appointed by me, they were elected,” Wike explained. To address the impasse, the Minister disclosed plans to withhold the statutory 10% allocation from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) meant for local councils until teachers’ salaries are paid.
When asked if such an action might contravene the principles of local government autonomy, Wike was unequivocal, saying he wouldn’t watch as many kids’ futures were sacrificed on the altar of local government autonomy.
“You see now, you see the problem that we have now? We are talking about autonomy now. The money has been released to you as allowed, yet you are depriving people of their wages, and then you want me to fold my arms and allow our children to be at home because you want to have local government autonomy? No!” the Minister declared.
