Nigeria: FCT workers’ strike: Gov’t open to dialogue, not blackmail – Wike

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says the administration is open to reasonable dialogue with striking workers, but won’t be swayed by blackmail. This comes after a court ruling ordered workers to resume duties.

Wike stated that the government had substantially met workers’ legitimate demands before seeking legal action. “The issue of the strike is not new. We believe the administration has reasonably met the demands of the workers. However, some of the demands are frivolous and go beyond what workers are legitimately entitled to,” he said.

The minister explained that the government opted for dialogue initially but sought court intervention when politicians tried to hijack the strike. Wike warned that any worker who defies the court order will face disciplinary action.

Wike also highlighted the FCT’s financial challenges, saying it receives only 1% of federal revenue, making it hard to rely on statutory allocation. He noted that the administration has increased Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N9 billion to N30 billion.

The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to lawful resolution of disputes and continued reforms in the territory.