Protest looms as FCTA defends salary payments to workers

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has defended its handling of workers’ salaries and outstanding wage arrears, insisting that payments are already underway despite plans by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to stage a nationwide protest.

The clarification comes amid growing tension between labour unions and government authorities over delays in salary-related obligations.

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, said workers under the FCTA have started receiving their salaries as well as part of the outstanding Wage Award arrears.

In a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday evening, Olayinka said, “FCTA workers received their January salary last week Friday, with one month payment of the 5 months arrears of the Wage Award.”

He explained that the administration had so far paid two months out of the five months owed and outlined plans to settle the balance in the coming months.

“Two months out of the five months arrears of Wage Award paid already, remaining three months to be paid with February, March and April salary,” Olayinka said.

The media aide questioned the decision of the NLC to mobilise workers in other sectors for the planned protest, noting that many of them were expected to be at their duty posts.

“But NLC is mobilising workers in other sectors, who should be at their duty posts for a protest on Tuesday,” he said.

Olayinka also pointed out that FCTA workers, on whose behalf the protest was being organised, had continued to work despite the unresolved arrears.

“Meanwhile, the FCTA workers on whose behalf NLC is organising a protest were at work last week Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. They will be at work tomorrow,” he noted.

He further criticised the labour union for what he described as selective action, arguing that similar wage issues remained unresolved in several states without intervention from the NLC.

“Also, more than 20 states have stopped paying the Wage Award or have not implemented it at all. NLC has not done anything. It is the FCT that is paying and has paid two months out of the five months of arrears that is the problem of NLC,” Olayinka said.

The wage dispute is unfolding amid ongoing legal proceedings following an indefinite strike embarked upon by FCTA workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration Workers’ Joint Union Action Committee on January 19 over unresolved welfare concerns.

Following a motion filed by the FCT Minister, the National Industrial Court ordered the workers to suspend the strike. The case was adjourned to March 25, 2026, for further hearing.

In response, JUAC leaders Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Saleh approached the Court of Appeal, seeking leave to challenge the ruling and requesting a stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal. The application, signed by senior lawyers including Femi Falana, SAN, argued that enforcing the lower court’s order could render the appeal nugatory.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have accused the FCT Minister of intimidating workers and reaffirmed their support for the striking staff. In a joint statement, the unions described the National Industrial Court ruling as “one-sided” and urged workers to remain resolute.