The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed why he cannot be popular among civil servants, citing his decision to curb wasteful government spending and redirect public funds to infrastructure projects.
Wike made the revelation during a media chat with journalists on the state of the nation in Abuja on Thursday, where he defended his administration’s policy of cutting recurrent expenditure and prioritising capital projects across the FCT.
The minister disclosed that one of his first decisions upon assuming office was to halt what he described as unnecessary foreign trips and conferences funded with public money, maintaining that such expenditures had little or no impact on governance.
He questioned the rationale for approving millions of naira for officials to attend conferences abroad on issues such as land administration, arguing that similar knowledge could be acquired within Nigeria at a fraction of the cost.
“I will not approve public funds for anyone to travel to America for a one-week conference on land administration. If you want to study land administration, go to Lagos or Port Harcourt, see what works or what does not work there, and make comparisons,” he said.
Wike noted that his administration reversed the previous spending pattern in the FCT by allocating about 70 per cent of the budget to capital expenditure and 30 per cent to recurrent expenditure.
According to him, the policy has enabled the administration to redirect resources previously spent on travel and conferences to road construction, schools, and other infrastructure projects that directly benefit residents.
“That is why I cannot be popular among the civil servants. I cannot be popular because I put the money together and use it to build roads instead of sponsoring unnecessary conferences,” he stated.
Wike also criticised what he described as the proliferation of conferences with little practical value, including those organised around anti-corruption, questioning their relevance and impact.
He emphasised that public resources should be channelled towards projects that improve the lives of citizens rather than activities that place additional pressure on government finances.
On electricity, the minister acknowledged the opportunities created by the Electricity Act, which allows states and other entities to generate power, but stressed that the FCT administration would pursue such initiatives based on available resources and competing priorities.
He noted that although improving electricity supply remains one of the administration’s long-term priorities, the government cannot undertake every project simultaneously.
“You must ask yourself what your priorities are and what you can do with the limited resources available. It is not possible to do everything at once,” he asserted.
The minister further observed that the power sector has consumed enormous public funds over the years without commensurate results, describing it as a highly technical sector that requires careful planning and accountability.
Speaking on infrastructure, Wike urged residents to be patient, saying the administration was implementing projects based on available resources rather than embarking on numerous contracts it could not complete.
He affirmed that his administration was committed to executing quality projects rather than awarding contracts merely to satisfy public expectations.
Addressing complaints about the activities of task force officials and multiple tax collections, Wike acknowledged concerns over harassment by individuals claiming to represent area councils.
He noted that while area councils are constitutionally empowered to collect certain taxes and levies, cases of duplication, impersonation and illegal collections have created difficulties for residents.
The minister declared that the FCT Administration is working with relevant stakeholders to develop a more coordinated tax collection system that would eliminate multiple taxation, reduce friction between authorities, and protect residents from harassment.
He stressed that any reforms would respect the constitutional powers of area councils while ensuring greater convenience and transparency for taxpayers.
