From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has sharply criticised the National Assembly’s Area Council Committees for neglecting their oversight responsibilities amid the ongoing strike by primary school teachers in the territory.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, May 28, during a routine inspection of infrastructure projects in Abuja, Wike expressed frustration that legislators have failed to hold elected area council chairmen accountable, leaving public primary schools in the FCT closed.
“The chairmen of the committees of the House and Senate on Area Councils should be asking: why are the children still at home? But instead, they focus on irrelevant things and invite ministers to defend budgets outside their purview,” he said.
“We thought by now, they would have engaged the area council chairmen to ask, ‘What is the issue? How do we solve it?’ But all they want is to create division within the FCT. That won’t work.”
Wike warned that depriving children of education is tantamount to undermining democracy and assured that measures are being taken to resolve the crisis.
“Denying people education is like staging a coup in the FCT. Be assured that we are working behind the scenes, and very soon this issue will be resolved. No responsible government can be happy seeing teachers at home,” he said.
The minister’s remarks come amid tensions with FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe, who recently criticised the sealing of properties in Abuja over unpaid ground rents, calling it unlawful and burdensome to residents. Kingibe vowed not to “turn a blind eye” while residents face enforcement practices that “contravene established laws and compound their suffering.”