Nyesom Wike
Olasunkanmi Susan
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have resolved their differences, and FCT workers are set to resume fully. This follows a court ruling that suspended the ongoing strike by workers of the FCT Administration .
The National Industrial Court had ordered the striking workers to resume work, citing the need for dialogue to resolve the issues. Wike had welcomed the court decision, urging workers to return to their duties and emphasizing that strike action should be a last resort .
However, the NLC initially directed its affiliate unions in the FCT to continue with the strike, citing unresolved issues such as unpaid wage awards, promotion arrears, and non-remittance of pension and National Housing Fund deductions. The union accused Wike of failing to engage workers in good faith.
Despite the court order, some workers defied the NLC’s directive and resumed work, while others continued to protest. The Acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, Nancy Sabanti, had issued a circular directing all Secretariats, Departments, and Agencies to open and strictly maintain staff attendance registers
Wike had approved and signed the payment of over ₦12 billion as January salaries for FCT workers, citing the FCT’s limited revenue allocation from the federal government. He emphasized the need for workers to understand the financial constraints faced by the administration.
The FCT Administration had argued that it had addressed most of the workers’ demands, including the commencement of five months’ wage-award payments and settlement of long-standing hazard and rural allowances. However, the NLC maintained that several issues remained unresolved .
The resolution of the standoff is seen as a positive development, with workers expected to return to their duties. The NLC and Wike are likely to engage in further dialogue to address the outstanding issues.
