By BANNERNEWS Reporter
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to sustain the ongoing strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), dismissing the National Industrial Court’s order to resume work.
The Congress also criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for threatening to sack striking workers less than two hours after the court ruling.
The National Industrial Court, sitting in Abuja, had on Tuesday ordered the FCTA workers to immediately return to work, despite their grievances remaining unaddressed. Speaking on the development, Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Benson Upah, questioned why the court ignored the alleged injustices meted out to the workers.
Upah cited the non-remittance of National Housing Fund (NHF) contributions and pension deductions, in violation of the NHF Act and the Pension Reform Act 2014 (as amended), as key issues.
He insisted the court’s ruling was inadequate, stressing: “If the intention of the court is to break the strike and weaken the resolve of injured workers, then it is mistaken. Our hearts cannot be broken, and workers must remain resolute in their convictions.”
The NLC leader accused the court of failing to address continuous offenses by the Minister and FCTA, noting the breaches carry heavy penalties. On NHF non-remittance, he highlighted that failure to remit within one month could attract fines between N50,000 and N100 million, including potential imprisonment for responsible officers.
Similarly, Upah said the Pension Reform Act stipulates that pension deductions must be remitted within seven working days after salary payment. Defaults attract penalties of 2% per month or 24% per annum, payable into employees’ retirement savings accounts alongside the principal.
He noted additional violations by the FCTA that were not detailed in the statement.
The NLC described the court’s long adjournment and denial of injunctive relief as “irreparably damaging” to the workers’ cause. Upah condemned the Minister’s immediate threats of dismissal as toxic to any dialogue, warning against undermining workers’ rights.
He further stated that the NLC had placed all organisations or individuals violating the Pension Fund and NHF Acts on notice, vowing serious engagement to ensure compliance.
Upah urged workers and NLC organs to remain vigilant, adding, “We must ensure the enforcement of workers’ rights in case anyone doubts our resolve.”
The NLC’s statement signals an unrelenting stand in the dispute, insisting that legal orders alone will not resolve systemic violations affecting FCTA workers.
