After days of tension that brought the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to a standstill, organised labour and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike have reached a historic agreement, bringing an end to the strike by workers of the FCTA.
The breakthrough followed an intense overnight meeting convened by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Mohammed Bomoi, which lasted over three hours. Sources at the meeting said it began amid loud disagreements, but calm was restored after Senator Bomoi intervened to mediate between the parties.
The talks, which began just before midnight on Monday and ended at about 3:50 a.m. on Tuesday, were attended by Wike, the Presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, secretaries of both labour centres, and other key stakeholders.
Organised labour had initially insisted on proceeding with a large-scale protest to press the demands of FCTA workers, despite police warnings and an interim court order obtained by the minister restraining the unions from striking.
Speaking after the meeting, Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Benson Upah, said it was agreed that no worker would face any victimisation arising from the strike. He added that all pending cases at the National Industrial Court would be immediately withdrawn.
“All complaints presented by JUAC members were taken one by one and fully addressed. The Honourable Minister assured organised labour of mutual respect and sustained engagement going forward,” Upah said, flanked by TUC General Secretary Nuhu Toro and other labour leaders.
All FCTA workers have now been directed to resume duties immediately. “All JUAC members and affiliates of the NLC and TUC working in the Ministry of the FCT are hereby instructed to return to work and comply strictly with this directive in the interest of industrial peace and harmony,” Upah said.
The agreement is expected to restore normalcy in the FCT and marks a rare show of effective dialogue between the government and organised labour.
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