Strike: FCTA workers are not owed a dime – Wike’s aide Lere Olayinka

Strike: FCTA workers are not owed a dime – Wike’s aide Lere Olayinka

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has denied owing salaries to its workers amid the ongoing industrial action in Abuja.

The spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka, made the clarification on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. He said the strike was not the result of unpaid salaries, insisting that the FCTA and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) were not indebted to staff.

“There is this mindset that it’s because the government is owing salaries. No salary is being owed. The government is not owing staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) a dime in terms of salary,” Olayinka said.

He explained that the only salary that could be considered outstanding was that of January 2026, which he noted had not yet fallen due as the month was still ongoing.

Olayinka also addressed the issue of promotion arrears, one of the key demands raised by the striking workers. He said the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had already approved funds for their payment.

“As at December last year, the minister already approved ₦286.1 million for the payment of these arrears. The minister has approved, and it’s at the treasury level, payment is being processed. What else do you want the minister to do?” he said.

He further dismissed claims that the minister had refused to meet with the workers, saying Wike had delegated senior officials to engage with the unions on his behalf.

“The minister did not give you an audience? He sent people led by the Head of Service to hold meetings — several meetings with the union leaders, the Head of Service, Chief of Staff to the minister, Permanent Secretary of Common Services, and the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission,” Olayinka said.

“Those are the people the minister sent, and you are saying the minister did not give you an audience. How else do you want him to give you one?” he added.

FCTA and FCDA workers began a strike on January 19 over what they described as unmet demands, shutting down activities across FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils and parastatals in Abuja.

Wike had earlier said the workers presented 14 demands, of which 10 had already been addressed. “So what then is the issue?” the minister asked, adding that 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 and determination of the case brought by the FCT Minister. The court held that once a dispute is referred to the National Industrial Court, any ongoing industrial action must cease.

Following the ruling, Wike warned that any FCTA worker who fails to resume duty from Wednesday, January 28, would face disciplinary action. He said his administration had engaged with the unions and addressed their grievances, insisting that there were underlying issues beyond the demands officially presented.