Salary cut: We don’t have anything against Wike – FCT workers

The Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) say workers have nothing against the Minister of FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, over the alleged salary cut.

JUAC President, Mr Matilukuro Oluwakorede, stated this in Abuja while reacting to a social media publication alleging that, “workers in Nigeria Capital, Abuja groan as Wike cuts salaries, allowances amid inflation”.

Olyuwakorede said, “The public should disregard the information in circulation. it is not emanating from us. We have an internal issue; we had a meeting and agreed on the best way to manage the issue.

“We have nothing to do with what is trending online currently.

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“We love our minister. We don’t have any issue against him as at this moment that I am talking to you, and I wish to be quoted anywhere.”

On the issue of the salary, he explained that JUAC had fought for some allowances, adding however, that the allowances were not budgeted for in the 2023 budget.

He identified the allowances as “peculiar allowance, hazard allowance and “one or two other allowances like that.”

He explained that the allowances overshot the FCTA and FCDA personnel budget, adding that in view of the development, the FCTA management called the leadership of the committee over the challenge.

He added that they all agreed at the meeting that the remaining funds in the vault should be used to pay October’s salary but may affect peculiar allowances.

“We realised that the little fund remaining may affect peculiar allowance, and we say we don’t mind stepping it down by one month, while the FCT Administration does the needful against the remaining months.

“So that by November, we return to normalcy. So, I don’t know why journalists are just cashing out on this,” the president said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that JUAC leadership had on Friday issued a circular, signed by its President and General Secretary, Mr Akuh Sunday, intimating their members on salary shortfall for October. (NAN)