JOINT Unions Action Committee (JUAC) in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) has concluded arrangement to embark on an indefinite strike, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The Chairman of JUAC, Comrade Matilukoro Korede, while briefing reporters in Abuja, said JUAC is embarking on the strike over the non-implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission Act.
The FCT Civil Service Commission Act, Comrade Korede said, cannot remain on the shelf while the administration continued to deny workers the benefits that would accrue from it. He said the refusal of FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, to implement the act signed three years ago by President Muhammadu Buhari had put their fate on hold for too long “and this cannot be allowed to continue’’.
Comrade Korede said that the just concluded three days warning strike last week was a sign that issues affecting their welfare would not be further subjected to political bottlenecks.
He said the joint unions in FCTA and FCDA were prepared for an indefinite strike that would cripple all government activities. According to him, the workers’ patience has been exhausted as the administration has refused to do the needful after several meetings with the labour leaders.
Stating that workers have been resilient in demanding for the implementation of Executive Order 1 of 2004, Comrade Korede said the order was abolished the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory long before the signing of act, which should allow FCT workers to advance in the service like their counterparts in the states.
He said that full implementation of the Executive Order 1 of 2004 and the FCT Civil Service Commission would ensure the removal of the Permanent Secretary, who was posted from the Federal Civil Service Commission.
“It will also give opportunity to FCT workers to advance more in administrative cadre, while a qualified worker from the system can be appointed FCT Head of Service as obtained in states,” Comrade Korede said, adding that without the implementation of the act, FCT workers would continue to remain under administrative limitations that would not allow them to grow with their counterparts in the states.
“It was a huge relief when the National Assembly hearkened to the voice of the staff of the FCT Administration by enacting, passing into law and gazetted it with the consent of the President and the FCT-Civil Service Commission in 2018.
“This is three years down the line; the big question is why has it been difficult to implement it till date?
“The FCT-Civil Service Commission is created by an act of parliament just like the Federal Civil Service Commission and those of the States Civil Service Commission with primary responsibility of appointment.
“Among the demands of the workers are the removal of all FCTA staff from the Accountant-General of the Federation Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
“Others include immediate release of all pending cases of conversion, upgrading, advancement and abolishment of casualisation of workers on FCTA especially in Transportation Secretariat, Water Board and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, promotion and discipline also known as (APD), within the FCT,” Mr Korede said.
