The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has directed striking staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to resume work immediately or face legal consequences, following a ruling by the National Industrial Court ordering an end to the strike.
Wike issued the warning on Tuesday, shortly after the court delivered its decision. He said the rule of law must prevail, stressing that the strike had severely disrupted public services in Abuja for more than a week.
Speaking to journalists, the minister accused political actors of exploiting the industrial action for their own interests, rather than focusing on workers’ welfare.
“The administration was already in the process of mediation when some politicians hijacked the strike,” Wike stated. He described several of the workers’ demands as “frivolous,” claiming they were either unreasonable or had already been addressed.
Wike added that the FCTA approached the court because the strike had been taken over by politicians, despite ongoing efforts to resolve the dispute through dialogue and to meet a significant number of the workers’ demands.
