Maureen Okpe
Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, demanding decisive action to end the prolonged strike by Area Council workers or face calls for resignation.
The strike, which began on March 24, 2025, has now entered its fourth month, crippling public services across Nigeria’s capital.
Its Executive Director, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, in Abuja,in a strongly worded statement condemned the failure of the six Area Council Chairmen to implement the December 2024 tripartite agreement which mandated payment of the new ₦70,000 minimum wage and clearance of backlog salary arrears.
The organisation described this failure as a betrayal of public trust and a grave violation of workers’ rights.
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As a result of the ongoing impasse, 607 public primary schools and 239 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the FCT remain closed. This has disproportionately affected the most vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women, the elderly, and low-income families.
“With 10.2 million Nigerian children already out of school and a maternal mortality rate of 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, the implications of this strike are not only severe, they are catastrophic,” said Dr. Zikirullahi.
CHRICED criticised Minister Wike for attempting to distance himself from the crisis by claiming that Area Councils are beyond his jurisdiction.
The organisation rejected this claim, asserting that as Minister of the FCT, Wike holds statutory oversight responsibilities under the FCT Act and the 1999 Constitution, making him the de facto governor of Nigeria’s capital territory.
Dr. Zikirullahi stated, “It is disingenuous and unacceptable for the FCT Minister to wash his hands off this crisis. He cannot enjoy the powers of a governor when it suits him and disown responsibility when there’s a breakdown in public service.”
The group also questioned the Minister’s claims of having released funds to the councils. CHRICED demanded full disclosure on the amount disbursed, dates of release, and details of how the funds were intended to be utilised.
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“The continued opacity and lack of accountability surrounding these funds raise red flags about governance and transparency within the FCT Administration,” Zikirullahi added.
CHRICED took aim at Senator Ireti Kingibe, the FCT’s elected representative in the National Assembly, for what it called her “deafening silence” on the matter.
According to the organisation, Senator Kingibe has failed in her legislative duty to protect and speak for her constituents during this deepening crisis.
The group called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to directly intervene, warning that the continued shutdown of schools and health centres in the nation’s capital is a national embarrassment and contradicts the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“No infrastructure, no matter how grand, can replace the need for functional schools and clinics. Roads and bridges do not immunise children or educate them,” CHRICED stated, in response to President Tinubu’s recent praise of Minister Wike’s infrastructural achievements.
CHRICED demanded that within seven days, the FCT Minister must convene an emergency meeting with the Area Council Chairmen and labour leaders, publicly disclose financial disbursements, and take responsibility for resolving the crisis. If not, CHRICED insists, Minister Wike should resign “in honour and shame.”
The organisation also urged all six Area Council Chairmen to immediately implement the agreed minimum wage and fulfil their obligations to workers.
CHRICED rallied civil society organisations, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), professional bodies, and traditional leaders to stand in solidarity with FCT residents.
“The right to education and healthcare is not a privilege, it is a constitutional guarantee. This silence must end. This failure must stop. The time to act is now,” Zikirullahi said.