FCT workers protest unpaid allowances, teachers’ strike

Activities at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) were brought to a standstill on Monday as members of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) staged a protest over unpaid allowances, unresolved salary issues, and the protracted strike by FCT primary school teachers.

The aggrieved workers barricaded the Minister’s office gate, preventing entry and exit, and demanded the immediate sack of the Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Emeka Ezeh.

Top on their list of grievances were: unpaid salaries to some categories of workers, withheld wage awards for health workers, delayed overhead releases, non-payment of hazard allowances, and stalled career progression for retiring staff.

Addressing protesters, JUAC President Rifkatu Iortyer criticized the FCTA for failing to release overhead funds, which she said were crucial for daily operations.

“We cannot work when overhead is not released. Some officials even claim overhead is only for directors. That is false. It is used for office maintenance and work-related needs,” she stated.

She also decried the career stagnation suffered by workers who retired without attaining their rightful positions.

“If you were supposed to retire as an Assistant Director in 2024 but were not promoted in time, your career ends without reaching its full potential. That’s unjust,” she said.

Iortyer also expressed frustration over irregular salary payments.

“Every month, your salary changes. Today it’s one amount, tomorrow it’s different. I can’t even tell how much my salary is anymore,” she lamented.

On health sector grievances, she added that hazard arrears owed to auxiliary staff, including cemetery workers and mortuary attendants, remain unpaid. She condemned the abrupt stoppage of salaries, saying, “In this economy, you can’t just stop people’s pay without warning. That is the initiative of the Commission Chairman, and it’s wrong.”

TUC Pledges Support, Blames Wike

Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), FCT Chapter, Audu Akogwu, declared full support for the protest, calling non-participating workers “saboteurs.”

“FCTA workers are suffering. Staff buy pens and papers themselves to do their work. There’s no promotion for 2023 or 2024, no training, and no overhead,” he said.

He also criticized FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for failing to pressure Area Council Chairmen into resolving the teachers’ strike and local government salary issues.

“Our children are out of school for over 100 days. You say bailout funds were released—how are they being used? As governor in Rivers, Wike controlled the LGs. Why can’t he act here?” he asked.

Akogwu issued a stern warning that the protest was just the beginning, promising to escalate the action if their demands are ignored.

“This is just a warning. If nothing changes, we’ll shut down all FCT offices. I will mobilize all TUC affiliates in Abuja,” he vowed.