By Abubakar Yusuf
For the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nzenwo Nyesom Wike CON, improving residents’ living standards goes beyond infrastructure. It hinges equally on creating meaningful employment as a pathway to stability and social security.
In a rare political move, the Wike-led administration has prioritised ordinary Nigerians’ livelihoods over partisan considerations. The recent confirmation of nearly 2,000 workers hired by the previous government marks a historic departure from the typical practice of mass dismissals.
Rather than laying off legacy staff to appoint his own loyalists, the Minister chose to regularise the status of employees recruited more than a decade ago. Specifically, 1,659 workers—hired by the FCT Administration (FCTA) in 2016 and 2019—have had their appointments confirmed.
The approval followed a confirmation examination conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission on 28 February. Of the 2,512 candidates invited, 2,281 sat for the exam, and the confirmed workers were selected based on merit. Notably, 224 absentees raised suspicions of being ghost workers.
Some of the affected employees had been waiting for confirmation since 2016, while others were recruited shortly before Wike assumed office in August 2023.
In line with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda for the FCTA workforce, the Commission has also concluded plans to conduct promotions for 2025 and 2026.
By endorsing the confirmation of these long-standing employment backlogs, the FCT Minister is expected to significantly curb the scourge of unemployment in the nation’s capital.
Written by Abubakar Yusuf
