NLC Orders Indefinite Strike in FCT Over Teachers' Grievances

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has directed workers in the FCT Administration to begin an indefinite strike on Wednesday, after a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, expired.

 

The ultimatum was over unresolved labour disputes and policy grievances affecting teachers in the territory.

 

The council's Chairman, Mr Knabayi Adalo, announced the action in a communique issued at the end of an emergency State Executive Council (SEC) meeting. He said the strike had become necessary because the FCT Administration failed to meet the workers' demands.

 

Chief among the demands, according to Adalo, is the abolition of the vacancy precondition for teachers' promotions, which he described as the primary cause of career stagnation and demoralisation among teachers.

 

The union is also demanding the immediate withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to directors in agencies under the Education Secretariat who benefited from the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022.

 

"There was also the demand for the reconsideration of 2025 eligible teachers to sit for their promotion examination alongside the 2026 batch.

 

"The union also demanded the dissolution and reinstatement of the management teams at the FCT Secondary Education Board (SEB) and the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB)," he said.

 

The Head of the Civil Service of the FCT Administration, Mrs Nancy Nathan, had informed the union in a letter dated Sept. 29 that Wike had directed a stay of action on the concerns raised.

 

According to the letter, the minister also directed that the issues be stepped down forthwith, and that the FCT Civil Service Commission reschedule the 2025 promotion examination for the affected education officers.

 

Nathan also conveyed the minister's commitment to addressing other outstanding matters.

 

Adalo, however, described the administration's response as neither positive, clear nor genuine, and therefore dismissive and unacceptable.

 

He said the response completely ignored what he called the illegal redeployment of senior directors and offered no meaningful solution to the controversial vacancy clause.

 

"The council will no longer tolerate the continued dehumanisation of FCT teachers through obnoxious policies alien to the teaching profession," Adalo said.

 

The chairman directed that all schools, hospitals, offices and government establishments across the FCT Administration remain closed until all of the union's demands are met.

 

He also directed all affiliate industrial unions in the public and private sectors to ensure total compliance among their members.

 

Special enforcement committees, he said, were being set up across sectors to monitor compliance with the directive.

 

Adalo urged FCT workers to remain resolute and assured them that no one would be victimised for taking part in what he called a legitimate industrial action.