The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has announced the immediate implementation of a new minimum wage of N70,000 for all administrative staff working within the FCT.
This decision comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu’s May 2024 signing of the new Minimum Wage Bill into law, which stipulates N70,000 as the baseline salary for workers across the country following extensive negotiations with organized labor groups.
This move was officially confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, by the Press Secretary to the Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, Anthony Odeh.
The statement highlighted that the FCT Chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress had previously expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in implementing the wage increase.
The unions had even threatened to initiate a nationwide strike on November 30, 2024, following frustrations with the lack of action from the FCT administration.
They also accused the Wike-led government of failing to engage with the labor unions since his appointment in August 2023.
In response to these concerns, Wike took decisive action and approved the N70,000 minimum wage on Monday, November 18, 2024, in an effort to improve the living conditions of the workers employed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
The statement went on to note that the minister also authorized the payment of three months’ arrears, effective from November 2024, for all administrative staff.
The Acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, Mrs. Grace Adayilo, further explained that this new wage policy would not only ease the burden on staff but also encourage them to remain committed to supporting the administration in fulfilling President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Head of Service said, “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 move is seen as a strong gesture reflecting Wike’s ongoing commitment to the welfare of workers under the FCT’s employ.
As the FCT government takes these steps, the unions are expected to assess the impact of this resolution, potentially averting the planned strike and signaling a new era of collaboration between the Wike administration and labor groups in the FCT.
