Nyesom Wike Defends FCT Spending, Says He Blocked Fund Diversion for Roads

Nyesom Wike has defended his financial reforms in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), saying he is unpopular among civil servants because he stopped the diversion of public funds and redirected the money to infrastructure projects.

Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the FCT Minister said his administration has prioritised road construction over what he described as unnecessary government spending. He argued that public funds should deliver visible benefits to residents instead of financing costly overseas conferences.

Wike criticised requests for foreign trips, including proposals for officials to attend land administration conferences in the United States. Instead, he said civil servants should study similar systems within Nigeria, citing Lagos and Port Harcourt as practical examples.

The minister also said he restructured the FCT budget by reducing recurrent expenditure and increasing capital spending. According to him, previous budgets allocated about 65% to recurrent expenses, but his administration now dedicates 70% to capital projects and 30% to recurrent costs.

Furthermore, Wike argued that many official conferences had become channels for diverting public funds. He insisted that money previously spent on such activities is now being invested in roads and other infrastructure projects that residents can directly benefit from.

“As a result, I cannot be popular among civil servants,” he said, adding that many workers dislike his policies because he has blocked spending he considers wasteful and redirected the funds to development projects.

The minister maintained that his administration would continue to prioritise projects that have a direct impact on the lives of residents rather than approving what he described as frivolous expenditure.