The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and leaders of organised labour unions have reached a midnight truce, leading to the suspension of the ongoing strike and the immediate resumption of work by affected employees.
The agreement came after more than three hours of intensive negotiations that stretched into the early hours of Tuesday, concluding at approximately 3:50 a.m. The talks were chaired by Senator Mohammed Bomoi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT, with representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) in attendance.
Briefing journalists following the meeting, the Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Benson Upah, alongside the TUC General Secretary, Dr. Nuhu Toro, confirmed that several key resolutions were reached to restore industrial peace.
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Upah explained that the agreements included assurances that no worker would face victimisation for participating in the strike, the immediate withdrawal of all cases filed at the National Industrial Court, and a commitment by Minister Wike to maintain mutual respect and sustained dialogue with organised labour.
“All complaints presented by members of the Joint Unions Action Committee were addressed one by one and fully resolved,” Upah said.
He further noted that the Minister assured continued engagement with labour unions going forward. As a result, workers under the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), as well as affiliates of the NLC and TUC within the FCT Administration, were directed to resume work immediately.
“All JUAC members and all TUC and NLC affiliates working in the FCT Ministry are hereby directed to resume work with immediate effect,” Upah stated.
“Affiliates are urged to comply strictly with this directive in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.”
The dispute arose from unresolved labour issues within the FCT Administration, prompting the NLC and TUC to embark on industrial action and threaten mass protests despite security concerns raised by the FCT Police Command and a restraining order from the National Industrial Court. The strike had disrupted activities in the nation’s capital for several days before the intervention of the Senate Committee led to the resolution.