NLC orders indefinite strike across FCT over teachers’ disputes

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has directed workers in the FCT Administration and private sector to begin an indefinite strike from Wednesday.

The directive followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over unresolved labour disputes involving teachers and other policy concerns.

The council Chairman, Mr Knabayi Adalo, announced the decision in a communique issued after an emergency State Executive Council (SEC) meeting.

Adalo said the strike became necessary because the FCT Administration had failed to satisfactorily address the workers’ demands.

He said a major demand was the removal of the vacancy requirement for teachers’ promotion, which the union identified as a major factor contributing to career stagnation.

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

It further called for 2025 eligible teachers to be allowed to take their promotion examination alongside the 2026 batch.

The labour body also demanded the dissolution and reinstatement of the management teams of the FCT Secondary Education Board (SEB) and the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB).

According to Adalo, the administration’s response to the demands was neither positive nor clear and did not provide what the union considered a genuine resolution to the disputes.

He acknowledged a Sept. 29 letter from the Head of the Civil Service, FCTA, Mrs Nancy Nathan, informing the union that Wike had directed a stay of action on some of the issues.

Nathan had also said the FCT Civil Service Commission would reschedule the 2025 promotion examination for affected education officers.

However, Adalo said the response failed to address the redeployment of senior directors and did not provide a solution to the vacancy requirement for teachers’ promotion.

He said the council would not accept policies it considered detrimental to the teaching profession.

The NLC chairman consequently directed that schools, hospitals, offices and other government establishments across the FCT remain closed until the demands were addressed.

He also directed affiliate unions in the public and private sectors to ensure full compliance with the strike.

Adalo said enforcement committees would be constituted across sectors to monitor compliance, while urging workers to remain resolute.

He assured workers that no member would be victimised for participating in the industrial action.