Ogona Anita
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has told striking staff members of the FCT Administration that it would be impossible to pay all their outstanding allowances, saying paying the owed benefits would stop the government from buying vehicles and building roads.
The union recently initiated a strike following legal disputes regarding welfare and the leadership and administrative structure of the FCT Civil Service, including controversies over the tenure of certain officials and the implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission Act.
Speaking during the official distribution of 12 new ambulances to hospitals across the territory, Wike addressed the ongoing industrial friction involving JUAC
According to him, ‘’nothing can just bring out all the money and pay allowances and wages, how would we but all these vehicles? How would we build all these roads? How do they renovate all these schools?’’
‘’I heard you say, when this minister was there, he couldn’t do anything. How would he do something? He would go and print money?’’
While workers had returned to work on Wednesday, they got a notice of continuation of strike from their union, which premises its decision on the basis of an appeal filed on its behalf by its legal team.
Justice E. D. Subilim of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria had on Tuesday mandated that the industrial action initiated by the Joint Unions Action Committee JUAC be suspended immediately following a case instituted against the union by the FCT Administration
The minister noted that the administration has remained open to dialogue and has already met the majority of the workers’ demands.
