JUST IN: Wike, Labour Reach Agreement After Early-Morning Marathon Meeting Over FCTA Workers’ Strike

Organised labour and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have resolved the dispute that disrupted activities across Abuja in recent days.

The breakthrough followed a late-night meeting convened by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT, Senator Mohammed Bomoi. The session, which began shortly before midnight, lasted nearly four hours and ended around 3:50am on Tuesday.

Present at the meeting were the presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, alongside senior officials from both labour centres and other stakeholders.

Tensions were high at the start of the talks, but discussions settled as the meeting progressed under the senator’s mediation.

Earlier on Monday, organised labour had insisted it would proceed with a planned mass protest to press the demands of workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). The FCT Police Command had advised the unions to reconsider the action on safety grounds, while the minister secured an interim court order restraining the protest.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Benson Upah, said both sides agreed that no worker would face any form of victimisation as a result of the strike.

He also confirmed that all pending cases related to the dispute at the National Industrial Court would be withdrawn.

According to Upah, the meeting reviewed the grievances raised by members of the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) and addressed them individually. He added that the minister assured labour leaders of continued engagement and mutual respect.

Labour leaders subsequently directed all affected workers to resume duty immediately.

The directive applies to JUAC members and affiliates of the NLC and TUC working within the Ministry of the FCT, with unions urged to comply in the interest of restoring normal operations.