NEWS
Strike: FCT Minister Wike Speaks On Why Salaries Can’t Be Fully Paid
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the government cannot spend all available funds on salaries and allowances while still meeting development needs across the country.
In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) by his aide, Lere Olayinka, Wike addressed FCT workers under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), explaining the difficulties of balancing workers’ pay with infrastructure and governance responsibilities.
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He asked, “Nobody can just bring out the whole money and pay allowances and wages. How will we buy these vehicles? How will we construct the roads? How will we rehabilitate the schools?”
Wike recalled a period when funds were limited for previous FCT administrations and said, “And yet, you’ll say, when this minister was there, he couldn’t do anything. How will he do something? Will he go out and print money?”
He highlighted the growth in the FCT budget under his tenure: “When I came, this FCTA idea was ₦9 billion a month. Today, by the grace of God, we have nothing less than ₦30 billion every month.” He stressed that competing demands for public funds make it difficult to pay all obligations at once.
The minister emphasized the importance of performance measurement in governance: “Now, what is called performance? So, if we have ₦30 billion, and then we move ₦3 billion to augment for salary, and then we say, okay, we move another ₦10 billion for infrastructure, and then the remaining one, you have to run the… The moment you see ₦5 billion in the account, you remember that something that was not paid in 2015, it is now that they will pay it. That is not the way it is supposed to be.”
Wike also urged support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying, “So, I appeal to you that the future of this country, for all of us, is that our President does the best he can do. But we can also support by being progressive-minded.”
Addressing the ongoing strike, Wike reminded FCT workers that the matter is still in court, advising compliance with the National Industrial Court order.
“It’s unfortunate when people say they will not obey court orders. That means we’re in a lawless society… We did not take the law into our hands; all we said was, let’s go and see who is wrong and who is right.
“We are still open for dialogue, but nobody should threaten the existence of anybody,” he said.
He assured workers that the problems affecting the FCT administration are being addressed progressively: “The whole essence is to have dialogue where there are problems, and say these problems, I can solve this now, leave this for me tomorrow, I’ll be able to solve that tomorrow.
“Nobody can solve all our problems, and as long as we are living, problems will come up. What is important is that you are focused and you are doing the best you can do. When you leave the office, another person will come and continue from where you stopped.”
Recall that FCTA workers under JUAC embarked on an indefinite strike on January 19, 2026, over unresolved welfare issues, disrupting public services in Abuja for over a week.
Wike had previously warned striking staff to return to work immediately or face legal action following the court ruling.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
Nigerians are facing yet another economic blow as petrol prices surge again. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N1,175 per litre, marking the third increase in just one week.
The latest adjustment, announced to marketers on Monday, follows a temporary suspension of petrol sales at the refinery on Sunday. Diesel, also known as Automotive Gas Oil, has also been revised upwards to N1,620 per litre.
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A senior refinery official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the hike, noting that it reflects “prevailing market fundamentals and the cost environment we are currently operating in.”
Industry checks show that depot pricing systems have already updated the new rates, signaling an inevitable rise at retail stations.
In some cities, petrol is now being sold at over N1,200 per litre, adding pressure on Nigerian motorists and businesses alike.
This repeated surge comes after earlier increases that pushed gantry prices from N774 to N995 per litre earlier this week.
Experts warn that the hikes are likely to drive up transportation, logistics, and production costs, potentially impacting the prices of goods and services nationwide.
While the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), is working to secure crude supplies for the refinery via international traders, officials cautioned that this may not immediately reduce prices for consumers.
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