Victoria Mgbanwa
Workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will on Monday, June 30, commence a three-day protest over what they describe as worsening conditions of service and the continued neglect of staff welfare by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The protest, announced by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), will see thousands of FCTA employees and affiliate union members gather daily by 7:00 a.m. at the minister’s gate in Area 11, Garki.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the President of JUAC, Comrade Rifkatu Iortyer, said the protest was necessitated by the minister’s “blatant refusal to address longstanding issues affecting staff welfare, rights, and career progression.”
She said key grievances include the non-promotion of staff since 2023, unresolved salary administration issues, unpaid allowances, and what the union describes as “illegal deductions” from workers’ earnings.
“The protest is against the blatant refusal of the FCT minister to address salient issues affecting staff,” lortyer said. “There has been no promotion exercise since 2023. Our salary structures are being manipulated, and several entitlements remain unpaid.”
She also demanded the immediate removal of the Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, accusing the leadership of undermining staff growth and transparency within the system.
“We say no to overseeing directors’ positions,” she added. “The system needs a complete overhaul to protect the dignity and rights of FCTA workers.”
” The non-domestication of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPOS).
Outstanding five-month wage award and hazard allowance arrears for health workers, Lack of staff training and retraining programmes, The growing number of out-of-school children in FCTA primary schools, and Non-payment of salaries to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) enforcement squad.”
The union noted that the current protest follows months of unheeded dialogue with the administration and pointed out that industrial tensions have been growing across various departments.
