In response, the FCTA disclosed that 10 out of the 14 demands raised by workers had already been met, with discussions ongoing to resolve the remaining four. Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications, stated that high-level meetings had taken place over the weekend, including engagements with union leaders. He emphasized that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, remained committed to resolving all outstanding issues.
Among the key resolutions already implemented are:
- Payment of five months’ outstanding wage awards.
- Full settlement of 13 months’ hazard allowance and 22 months’ rural allowance for health workers.
- Approval of N286 million in promotion arrears for 724 officers across various agencies.
The FCTA also clarified that tenure extension disputes for retired directors and permanent secretaries had been resolved, while training programs for staff were being reviewed. Additionally, the administration denied allegations of unpaid pension and National Housing Fund contributions, stating that a committee had been established to oversee deductions and remittances.
Regarding promotion exams, the FCTA dismissed claims about pass rates circulated by the union, urging workers to wait for official results. It also noted that some employees, including members of the Law Officers Association of Nigeria, had chosen not to join the strike and should be permitted to work without disruption.
Despite these measures, JUAC insisted the strike would persist until all demands were fully addressed. The union issued a directive titled “Code Remain at Home” to enforce the work stoppage, while security personnel were stationed at the secretariat to ensure non-striking staff could access their offices.
The FCTA appealed to unions and security agencies to collaborate constructively, reiterating that most demands had been resolved and urging workers to allow normal operations to resume.
