FCT Teachers’ Strike: Wike flays National Assembly over inaction, interference

By Ukpono Ukpong

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at the National Assembly committees overseeing the Federal Capital Territory, accusing them of inaction and undue interference in matters beyond their constitutional scope, particularly in relation to the lingering teachers’ strike that has kept primary school pupils in the FCT out of school for months.

Speaking during a routine inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja ahead of their planned commissioning to mark President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office, Wike expressed frustration over the continued closure of public primary schools under the FCT Area Councils.

He blamed the impasse on elected local council chairmen and the failure of relevant legislative committees to address the situation decisively.

Responding to a question about whether the chairmen of the area councils had become untouchable, Wike said “I don’t know what you mean by too powerful. All I would say is they were elected and they were not appointed. So we have been talking to them to understand that, this is democracy, one thing you must know is that denying people education is like trying to say that you are causing a coup in the country or in FCT.”

While assuring residents that efforts were ongoing to resolve the crisis, Wike lamented the apparent neglect by the National Assembly committees tasked with overseeing the FCT.

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“Be assured that everything is being done to see that the teachers go back to the classroom. But you see, the problem we have, just like what you’ve said, we have committees of the FCT, the House of Reps, and the Senate. We have chairman of the area councils. The chairman of committees of area councils, their responsibility is to oversee what the area councils are doing because the legislature of the FCT today is the National Assembly.” He said

The minister questioned the priorities of lawmakers who, according to him, are more interested in summoning ministers for budget defense rather than intervening meaningfully in the education crisis.

“The chairman of House Committee of the National Assembly has to look at the problem in the area councils. But it’s unfortunate they concentrate in just inviting minister to come and defend. I’ve never seen in my life where the minister has defended a budget and another House Committee chairman of area councils will tell another minister of State to come and present a budget.

“People don’t do what they’re supposed to do. They concentrate on things that do not fall within their jurisdiction. By now, I thought that the chairman of the FCT area councils would have come up to say, chairmen of area councils, this is not right. What do we need to solve this problem? But they will focus on irrelevant things, trying to see how there’s division, and discord in the FCT.”

Despite the challenges, Wike assured residents that his administration remains committed to resolving the crisis.

“We have said, those things would not work. But go home and sleep very well. Very soon, this problem should be sorted out, regarding the primary school teachers, because nobody can feel happy when the teachers are at home. It is the basic thing that we must do and I can assure you very soon that matter will resolved.” He said.