The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has approved the immediate implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage for all administration staff, along with the payment of three months’ arrears starting from November 2024.
READ ALSO: Gov. Fintiri commences payment of new minimum wage
This development was disclosed in a statement signed by Anthony Odeh, Press Secretary to the Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, and shared with journalists on Tuesday.
Wike’s approval comes as workers in the FCT faced growing concerns over delayed implementation of the new wage, which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in May 2024. The bill had set N70,000 as the minimum wage for workers after extended negotiations with organized labor.
The FCT chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had earlier threatened to join a nationwide strike on November 30, 2024, citing the failure of some states, including the FCT, to implement the new wage. The unions also expressed dissatisfaction with the Wike-led administration’s failure to meet with labor representatives since his inauguration in August 2023.
According to the statement, Wike approved the payments “in a bid to ameliorate the plight of workers under the employ of the Federal Capital Territory Administration.”
The Acting Head of Civil Service of the FCT, Mrs. Grace Adayilo, emphasized that the gesture demonstrates Wike’s commitment to the welfare of FCT workers. She added, “This gesture will further spur the entire administration staff to support the minister in continuing to deliver on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The statement reiterated that the approval reflects the minister’s dedication to the well-being of the administration staff and aligns with broader efforts to improve workers’ welfare nationwide.
