Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused the six Area Council Chairmen of lacking basic human conscience over their refusal to pay primary school teachers and other council workers their rightful wages.

Wike stated this while responding to questions from journalists at the site of project inspection on what he was doing to end the ongoing LEA industrial action in Abuja.

The question follows the earlier protests staged at the front gate of FCTA Secretariat by the joint Area Council workers and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) over non- payment of new minimum wage and arrears.

Wike condemned the Chairmen for ignoring the plight of striking workers, particularly teachers, who have downed tools in protest of the prolonged non-payment of the minimum wage.

The minister who expressed shock that the chairmen still failed to pay their workers even after his fund approval as an intervention to settle the workers, assured that he has however summoned them for a meeting to chat a new course forward.

“I don’t know why people don’t have conscience that these are teachers who take care of our children, and you are happy that you are not paying them their salaries.

“It’s unfortunate, but we have to tell ourselves the simple truth. The Area Council Chairmen, after I have approved money to be sent to them, for them to be able to pay the teacher. They were unable to do that. In fact, I got the report yesterday(wednesday) and I have summon all of them.

“You see, that’s the problem we have in this country. By the time you apply the big stick now, people will be saying all kinds of things.” Wike noted.

Wike emphasized that the FCT Administration does not directly oversee the councils, hence the need for the Chairmen to fully take responsibility for the welfare of primary school teachers and other council workers.

“These are primary school teachers, not secondary school teachers. You know the responsibility of the councils, they are in charge of the primary schools.So, I will summon them to a meeting”.

The minister appealed to the aggrieved workers and the NUT to be patience as he works to bring the FCT Area Chairmen to the table.

Earlier, Wike had inspected key ongoing projects including the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX), the Interchange at the Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX), and the Life Camp Junction-N5-Ring Road 3 Expressway and expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work being done by the contractors.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed dissatisfaction over the unauthorized subletting of part of the International Conference Centre (ICC) furniture project contract.

Wike expressed the displeasure during an inspection tour of the ongoing rehabilitation of ICC and the N16 road in Gishiri, Abuja.

The contract, originally awarded to Julius Berger, reportedly had its furniture component reassigned to another firm by the Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL) without the minister’s approval.

Dr Wike who described the development as unacceptable, immediately summoned the contractor and top FCTA officials for further investigation, to guard against compromising quality .

“The job was given to Julius Berger entirely. I cannot have different qualities. We cannot say that the floor up is furnished by Julius Berger and down is furnished by another company. It is not acceptable to me.

“I have invited Julius Berger, I have invited the Executive Secretary of the FCDA and the MD of the Abuja Investments Company Limited to know who did that, and if anybody is found culpable, of course, I must have to apply the big stick.

Dr Wike,commended the quality of the overall work, and expressed confidence that the contractors would meet their deadlines before the end of May.

“I believe, by the grace of God, they are meeting up for the second anniversary of Mr President. Quality job done. I am sure those who live within this neighborhood are happy with what they are seeing now.

“I am not doubting the quality of work there. What I have said is that the quality of work generally is very fine. How they removed the furnishing of the conference hall from Julius Berger is what I do not know.

“And so, that is why I summoned the Acting ES, FCDA, and the GMD of Abuja Investments Company Limited and Julius Berger, to come and tell us who did that, and also on whose approval, because I approve and I know the amount of money, Nobody will be a sacred cow”.Wike added.

Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri on Monday, January 27, 2025, convicted and sentenced one Babagana Kansulum to six months imprisonment for criminal misappropriation.

Kansulum was arraigned by the Maiduguri Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, on a one-count charge for the offence of criminal misappropriation to the tune of N2,650,000.00 (Two Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira).

The count reads: “That you Babagana Kamsulum, with national identification number 5763879198 sometime in 2020, in Maiduguri, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N2,650,000.00 monies purportedly meant to finance contract for the renovation of office at Government House Damaturu which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 and punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Laws of Borno State Cap.102 Vol.3 of 1994 respectively.”

The defendant pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him

Counsel for the prosecution, Faruk Muhammad prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant accordingly, while defence counsel A. A Yaro urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

Justice Kumaliya thereafter convicted and sentenced Kamsulum to six months imprisonment with an option of N200, 000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine

The convict’s road to the Correctional Centre began when he collected the sum of N2, 650,000.00 from Nafiu Mohammed Ibrahim for a purported contract to renovate an office in Damaturu Government House. He neither returned the money to the victim nor carried out the renovation.

EFCC