By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: The Federal Capital Territory FCT remains in the grip of a major industrial crisis as striking workers, under the aegis of the Joint Unions Action Congress JUAC, have vowed to continue their “siege” on government operations following a tense day at the National Industrial Court.
The union has called for a massive mobilization of workers to return to the court on Tuesday as the legal battle between the FCTA leadership and the labour force reaches a critical turning point.
On Monday hundreds of workers – supported by the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC and the Nigeria Union of Teachers NUT – swarmed the National Industrial Court in Area 11.
The gathering served as a defiant response to the lawsuit filed by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who is seeking a court order to compel the workers to end their indefinite strike and return to their duties.
Protesters were seen carrying placards with messages such as “Wike Must Go!!”, “Pay Our Promotion Arrears,” and “Abuja No Be Rivers,” signaling a deepening rift between the administration and its workforce.
In a statement released late Monday, JUAC Secretary, Comrade Abdullahi Umar Saleh, praised the workers for their “massive show of solidarity” and urged them not to relant.
“Your presence and peaceful conduct have once again demonstrated our unity and collective resolve.
“We encourage all workers to sustain this spirit of solidarity by coming out again tomorrow… together, we will ensure that our voices are heard and justice is served”, he said.
The strike, which has paralyzed activities at the FCTA Secretariat and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) for over a week, centers on several unresolved welfare issues, with the Administration saying it has met 10 of 14 demands of the workers and would work on others.
While the workers were at the court, the minister had made his way into the premises and later left in the afternoon to the airport to see off President Bola Tinubu to Turkey.
The minister’s convoy had made its way through the second gate and departed the premises before some of the workers were alerted – a development that made them rush to the gate in a desperate bid to heckle the convoy.
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