Wike reacts to FCTA ongoing indefinite strike

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has given his own perspective –and that of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), which he heads – to the demands by the Administration’s about 40,000 workforce that today embarked on an indefinite strike.

The industrial action,over several issues bordering on alleged poor service conditions under the Minister, paralyzed activities at FCTA’s headquarters and those of its agencies in the nation’s capital.

In a statement signed by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant (Public Communications and Social Media), Mr Lere Olayinka, the Minister gave a blow-by-blow reaction to the workers’ demands.

Importantly too, he ordered security personnel to offer protection to those workers that report for routine duties -an order perceived by some labour leaders as a bid to break the ranks of the striking workers.

Titled ’10 Out Of 14 Demands Of Workers Have Been Met, Remaining Four Being Addressed’, the statement kicked off thus: “The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said that 10 out the 14 demands of the workers that are on strike have been met, adding that other demands are being looked into with a view to addressing them.

“The FCTA also said that there are workers under various unions such as the Law Officers Association of Nigeria that have dissociated themselves from the strike action, and these workers deserve the rights to be allowed access to their offices to perform their duties.

The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCTA), even wrote to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, appreciating him for “his exemplary leadership and commitment to the welfare of healthcare workers, as demonstrated by the payment of the longstanding 13 months hazard allowance arrears as well as the payment of one month wage award”.’

According to the statement, top FCTA officials had held several meetings with union leaders, including on Saturday and Sunday.

It said in one of the meetings held with Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) leaders on Friday, January 16, the demands as well as the interventions of the Minister were laid bare, insisting that at no point did the Minister express unwillingness to address any of the demands.

The statement added: “Appeal was made to JUAC Officials that other pending issues were not severe enough to warrant the declaration of strike action, and that dialogue should be adopted in resolving all other issues affecting staff welfare in the FCTA.

“For instance, one of the demands made was non-payment of outstanding five months Wage Award, payment of which has commenced. Also, the outstanding 13 months Hazard Allowance and 22 months Rural Allowance for Health Workers have been fully paid by the administration.

The workers also listed non-payment of 2023 promotion arrears and outstanding 2024 promotion arrears as part of their demands.