Protesting FCT Workers Shut Offices, Insist on Meeting With Wike

Workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) on Monday began an indefinite industrial action, effectively bringing government operations across Abuja to a halt.

The strike action led to the complete shutdown of government offices, including the FCTA Secretariat, where a noticeable security deployment was recorded early in the morning.

A visit to the secretariat around 8:10 a.m. revealed that operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) alongside officers of the Nigeria Police Force were positioned at the main entrance, restricting access to the premises.

A security officer at the scene, who requested anonymity, confirmed that workers were barred from entering the complex due to the ongoing strike, stating that staff of both FCDA and FCTA were not permitted into the offices as part of the industrial action.

The work stoppage disrupted official activities across all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils, and parastatals operating within the Federal Capital Territory.

This development followed a prior warning issued by the workers on Friday, in which they announced their intention to shut down government offices throughout the FCT and its area councils if their demands were not addressed.

The decision to withdraw services was taken by the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), which instructed workers across all levels and cadres to down tools. The union cited the continued neglect of long-standing labour and welfare concerns by the authorities as the reason for the action.

Information gathered indicated that the strike commenced after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCTA management. According to the unions, the ultimatum elapsed without meaningful response, despite several engagements held within the period.

The ultimatum, which took effect on January 7, 2026, was outlined in a statement dated January 8, jointly signed by JUAC President, Rifkatu Iortyer, and Secretary, Abdullahi Saleh. Copies of the notice were forwarded to the Minister of State for the FCT, the Chief of Staff, the Head of Service, and the Director of Security Services.

Addressing journalists at the FCT Secretariat on Monday, JUAC Vice President, Musa Istifanus, explained that the industrial action became inevitable after repeated efforts to engage the FCTA leadership and the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, yielded no results.

According to him, the unions had resolved to shut the gates of the FCTA, FCDA, and all affiliated agencies, stressing that workers’ welfare remained the core issue.

Istifanus stated that since the beginning of the current administration, labour relations between workers and the FCTA management had been strained, adding that the minister had consistently declined meetings with union representatives, despite the union being a critical stakeholder in the system.

He noted that employees were battling multiple unresolved welfare challenges, including promotion-related concerns.

Recalling earlier developments, Istifanus said workers staged a protest in June of the previous year, after which the management engaged them and reached certain resolutions. However, he lamented that none of the agreed actions had been implemented since that engagement.

The JUAC vice president also criticised the 2024 promotion exercise conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission, describing the process as poorly handled and unfair to staff.

He explained that the promotion examination, held in November 2024, was conducted using computer-based testing (CBT) for the first time in the FCT administration. The union had earlier appealed for adequate training of staff before the examination, but the request was allegedly ignored.

Istifanus further alleged that the examination was plagued by technical failures, including malfunctioning computer systems, which were reported during the exercise but not addressed by the commission.

He accused the leadership of the FCT Civil Service Commission of disregarding complaints raised by affected staff during the examination process.

On the results of the exercise, he disclosed that when the outcomes were eventually released—about one to two weeks prior—approximately 75 percent of candidates failed, a development he described as unacceptable and one of the major triggers of the strike.

Beyond promotions, Istifanus also accused the administration of failing to fully implement an approved wage award for FCT workers and neglecting statutory deductions.

He stated that although the minister had approved a wage award for staff and promised immediate payment from September of the previous year, only one month’s payment out of five months owed was released recently, allegedly after management became aware of union mobilisation.

Additionally, he alleged that pension contributions, including contributory pension deductions and National Housing Fund payments, had not been remitted since May of the previous year, alongside other statutory deductions.

According to him, all attempts by the union to secure a direct meeting with the FCT Minister to resolve these matters had so far been unsuccessful.