Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), under the umbrella of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), have commenced an indefinite strike over unpaid promotion arrears, non-remittance of statutory deductions, and what the union described as worsening working conditions.
The strike, which takes effect from Monday, January 19, 2026, is expected to paralyse activities across the FCTA’s Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs), with implications for critical public services in the nation’s capital.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, FCT JUAC President, Comrade Rifkatu Iortyer, accused the FCTA management of breaching agreements and deliberately demoralising workers through unresolved grievances. She said the industrial action followed months of failed engagements with the authorities.
In a speech titled “A Plethora of Festering Issues,” Iortyer outlined an 11-point list of demands, including the immediate payment of outstanding promotion arrears and the remittance of pension and National Housing Fund (NHF) deductions, which she described as a serious threat to workers’ future security.
The union also faulted the alleged illegal elongation of tenure of some senior civil servants, calling for the immediate removal of retired directors and permanent secretaries whose continued stay in office, it said, violates Public Service Rules.
JUAC further rejected the 2024 promotion examination results, alleging that the mass failure recorded was deliberate and aimed at denying workers their promotion benefits.
“We say no to the deliberate mass failure of the 2024 promotion exams. The process was designed to fail and demoralise our members,” Iortyer said.
On wages, the union expressed anger that only one month of a five-month wage award was paid on January 14, describing the development as a breach of trust. It also blamed the centralisation of salary preparation for persistent shortfalls and irregularities, demanding that payroll responsibilities be returned to desk officers in departments.
Other grievances include lack of staff training and the non-payment of allowances owed to Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) enforcement officers.
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“We will not be silenced by inaction. Until these issues are addressed, the strike remains,” Iortyer declared.
As of the time of filing this report, the FCTA management had yet to issue an official response, while residents brace for disruptions to administrative and municipal services across Abuja.
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