By; Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
FCTA Workers, NLC Take Labour Dispute to Court, Demand Wike’s Exit
Workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Monday took their protest to the National Industrial Court in Abuja, intensifying an ongoing standoff with the FCT leadership over unresolved labour grievances.
The court appearance forms part of a total and indefinite strike that has grounded key administrative activities across the nation’s capital, following what labour unions describe as prolonged neglect of workers’ welfare by the FCTA authorities.
The industrial action was triggered after several failed attempts to resolve issues bordering on unpaid promotion arrears, lack of basic working tools, and what unions allege is a pattern of disregard for workers’ rights since the current political leadership took charge of the FCT.
Acting on the directive of the NLC, workers converged on the court premises carrying placards with bold messages such as “Wike must go,” “Abuja is not Rivers,” “Pay our promotion arrears,” “Enough is Enough,” and “No tools, no work.”
Union leaders insist that the protest is not politically motivated but a response to what they describe as a deteriorating work environment and an increasingly strained relationship between workers and the FCTA management.
According to the NLC, repeated engagements with the administration yielded no meaningful outcome, forcing workers to down tools and seek judicial intervention as a last resort.
The demand for the removal of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, stems from accusations that his leadership style has worsened labour relations and ignored long-standing agreements reached with workers’ unions.
The labour body maintains that Abuja, as the nation’s capital, should set the standard for fair labour practices rather than become a flashpoint for industrial unrest.
As proceedings continue, unions say the strike will remain in force until concrete steps are taken to address their demands, warning that the situation could further disrupt public services if the impasse persists.
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