…Council Chairmen Implement Minimum Wage
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
As primary school teachers in the FCT embark on strike action, the FCT Minister Barr. Nyesom Wike has promised to ensure that all teacher go back to work.
Wike expressed dissatisfaction over the ongoing primary school teachers strike action in the FCT, stated that the administration is ready to address issues of minimum wage implementation by Council Chairmen to make teachers go back to the classrooms.
The FCT Minister disclosed this during a projects’ visitation around the FCT on Wednesday.
He said that the recent teachers strike is unfortunate, as he linked it to the issue of non implementation of the minium wage by Area Council Chairmen.
Wike said, “It is unfortunate. It is really unfortunate that this issue of minimum wage is still out. But, as I said, we will make sure that the teachers will go back.”
However, he decried the teachers strike action as not in the interest of the nation.
He said, “We are talking about the interest of Nigeria, not the interest of a few people. Strike has never solved any problem.”
” Rather, it has created more problems. So, I believe that, within a short time, we will sort it out.”
The minister, who disclosed that the issues will be sorted out within a short time, said that the teachers would be invited a roundtable discussion.
“We will do everything possible to see that the area councils implement the minimum wage as approved by the National Assembly.”
“But again, I have also said that some teachers should also know that we are talking about the impact when you go on strike like this, have proper dialogue or consultation.”
Meanwhile, after visiting the International Conference Centre, ICC, under renovation, the Outer Southern road
project and the judges quarters, the minister reiterated his joy at the level of safety and quality of the jobs and his confidence on real-time handover by the contractors by May of this year.
“We believe, by the grace of God, that Julius Berger will hand over the International Conference Centre by April ending to May. We also believe, as we agreed, with the company carrying out the project of the Abuja Division, the Court of Appeal, that will be handed over in September this year.”
” And we have also agreed with Gilmore, that is responsible for these two areas, that will be part of our second year anniversary, he said.
