By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT , Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike said he is ready to use the 10% Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, proceeds meant for the Area Councils to pay striking Primary School teachers in the territory if the Chairmen of Area Councils refuse to honour their commitment to pay the teachers.
Wike stated this on Thursday during an inspection of the Nyanyan -Karishi- Apo road projects which have been approved but are yet to completely commence.
The FCT Minister said, “It will be unfortunate, I have told the chairmen that if the teachers are on strike, that will mean that, they are not paid, then I will use the 10 percent IGR which we normally pay to them, to pay to the teachers.”
“I will not fold my arms and allow that to happen. No serious government will see their teachers stay at home and children are suffering. I will not tolerate that”, the FCT Minister emphasized.
He also disclosed that he will meet with the Council’s chairmen to chat a way forward on how to solve the issues of teachers strikes in the FCT.
Commenting on the Nyanyan- Karishi, Rehabilitation road project, Wike described the road as an emergency rehabilitation project and urged the contractors to deliver the road on time to ease the suffering of the people.
Also after the inspection of the Apo- Karishi, the minister said that the road project is dear to the Administration and charged the contractor, Messer Kakatar to try to deliver on the April 2025 deadline as promised.
The minister who referred to the promise made by the contractors during the first inspection of the road project said, “We thought that within seven months they ought to have completed, but unfortunately the contractor could not move to the site because of some procurement processes. But thank God we have passed that stage now, and they have also been mobilized.”
The minister said that the Administration is eager to see the road completed in time because it will ease traffic as well as boost the economic activities in the area.
Wike encouraged the contractor to play their part while the Administration does its part to enable completion of the road project on record time.
“ On our own part, we are doing what we are supposed to do. The funds are there to be given to them.”
“I will tell the treasury department to release further funds to them, but for now, let’s watch them because we are very serious about this project”, he stated.
