Lere Olayinka, spokesperson to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, clarified the position on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. He said the industrial action was not linked to unpaid salaries, stressing that neither the FCTA nor the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) were indebted to staff.
“There is a misconception that the strike is due to unpaid salaries. No salary is being owed. The government does not owe the staff of the FCTA or FCDA a dime,” Olayinka said. He added that the only salary potentially considered outstanding was that of January 2026, which had not yet fallen due.
On the issue of promotion arrears—a key demand raised by striking workers—Olayinka stated that funds had already been approved for payment.
“As of December last year, the minister approved ₦286.1 million for the payment of these arrears. The approval is at the treasury level, and payment is being processed,” he said. “What else do you expect the minister to do?”
Olayinka also dismissed claims that the minister had refused to meet with the workers, noting that Wike had delegated senior officials to engage with union leaders on his behalf.
“The minister sent officials, including the Head of Service, Chief of Staff, Permanent Secretary of Common Services, and Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, to hold several meetings with the unions. And yet, you say the minister did not give an audience. How else would you want him to do it?” he said.
FCTA and FCDA workers began their strike on January 19, citing unmet demands and effectively halting activities across secretariats, agencies, area councils, and parastatals in Abuja.
Wike previously stated that the workers presented 14 demands, 10 of which had already been addressed. “So what then is the issue?” he asked, adding that both security agencies and FCT management had attempted to engage the unions without success.
On Tuesday, the National Industrial Court, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Subilim, ordered the workers to suspend the strike pending the hearing of the case brought by the FCT Minister. The court ruled that any ongoing industrial action must cease once a dispute is referred to the National Industrial Court.
Following the ruling, Wike warned that any FCTA worker failing to resume duty from Wednesday, January 28, would face disciplinary action. He emphasized that his administration had engaged with the unions and addressed their grievances, but suggested that the strike stemmed from underlying issues beyond the officially presented demands.
