FG pays N1.6b backlog salaries to FCT councils’ workers

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Wednesday, shared a sum of N1.6billion amongst the area councils.

This was mollify the workers of the councils, who, since December last year, had been on an indefinite strike in protest against non-payment of their salary for many months.

The Minister of the FCT, Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello, told the Chairmen of the Councils that that the measure was to help the welfare of the workers to ensure that they were back on duty.

He the present FCTA was able to approach the National Assembly to approve of its request, despite the fact that the request for bailout was unconstitutional and was not captured in the statutory budget.

The Minister, however, revealed that the FCT administration, henceforth, would embark on monitoring and harnessing the internally generated revenue (IGR) and the statutory allocation of the FCT and its implementation process.

“I think that this administration, should be able to put a measure on ground, in order to boost our financial income. We will try as much as possible to put to check certain excesses to avoid leakages and with the co-operation of all the staff and their leaders, to ensure that this kind of issue, does not arise anymore.”

Bello called on the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) – the umbrella body of the workers, to partner with his administration and to ensure that the money given to the Councils was judiciously used – and nor for political campaign or spent on frivolities. He stressed that working with the area council Chairmen, would help a harmonious relationship.

The Permanent Secretary to the FCT administration, Dr. Babatope Ajakayi, who is the chief account officer of the

Ministry, said that the administration was able to rescue the area councils on the bail out through desperate means.

Meanwhile, the leadership of NULGE, FCT chapter, has vowed never to call off its strike action, for the fear of being swindled by government.

The Chairman of NULGE in Abuja, Mr. Tanko Shamdazhi, said that not until the salaries hit individual bank account of its members the strike action would continue.