FCTA, FCDA Staff Begin Strike Across Abuja
FCTA, FCDA Staff Begin Strike Across Abuja
Government activities across the Federal Capital Territory were brought to a halt on Monday as workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) commenced an indefinite strike.
The industrial action led to the closure of major government offices including the FCTA Secretariat in Abuja. Security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were stationed at the premises, restricting staff access to the buildings.
Union leaders said the strike followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to FCTA management over unresolved labour and welfare matters.
The Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), which coordinated the action, directed workers across all departments, agencies parastatals and area councils within the FCT to withdraw their services.
Speaking at the secretariat, JUAC Vice President, Musa Istifanus stated that repeated attempts to engage the FCT Minister and management on staff welfare had failed, leaving workers with no alternative but to shut down operations.
He listed key grievances to include delayed promotions, alleged irregularities in the 2024 promotion examination, unpaid wage awards and outstanding pension remittances.
According to him, the promotion exercise conducted through computer-based testing recorded widespread failure and was affected by technical issues that were not addressed by authorities.
Istifanus also alleged that only a fraction of an approved wage award had been paid, while contributory pension deductions had not been remitted for several months.
He added that union requests for dialogue with the FCT Minister had been repeatedly declined.
The union described the strike as open-ended, stating that it would only be suspended if government officials addressed the outstanding issues.
The shutdown is expected to disrupt services across FCTA and FCDA offices, as well as other government departments and agencies operating within the Federal Capital Territory.
