The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it has met 10 out of the 14 demands presented by workers currently on strike, assuring that concrete steps are ongoing to resolve the remaining four through dialogue and administrative processes.
Mediaplusng.com reports that the FCTA makes this known in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, who emphasizes that the administration remains committed to staff welfare and industrial harmony.
According to the statement, the FCTA notes that several workers’ unions, including the Law Officers Association of Nigeria, have formally dissociated themselves from the strike action. The administration insists that such workers have a lawful right to access their offices and perform their official duties without intimidation or obstruction.
Mediaplusng.com also learns that the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCTA), recently writes to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, commending his leadership and commitment to healthcare workers. The doctors specifically appreciate the payment of long-standing 13-month hazard allowance arrears and the one-month wage award.
Mr. Olayinka states that top officials of the FCTA have held several meetings with labour leaders, including engagements held over the weekend, to exhaustively review all the demands raised by the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC). He explains that during a key meeting held on Friday, January 16, all issues and ministerial interventions were clearly presented.
The FCTA stresses that at no point does the Minister express unwillingness to address any genuine concern raised by workers. Instead, JUAC officials are urged to embrace dialogue, noting that the outstanding issues are not severe enough to justify a strike action that disrupts public services in the nation’s capital.
On specific demands, the administration confirms that payment of the five-month outstanding wage award has commenced. In addition, the 13-month hazard allowance arrears and 22 months rural allowance owed to health workers have been fully settled by the FCTA.
The statement also addresses concerns over unpaid promotion arrears for 2023 and 2024. It explains that arrears totaling ₦286,166,772.46, covering 724 officers across 24 Secretariats, Departments, and Agencies (SDAs), receive ministerial approval in December 2025 and are currently being processed for payment.
Regarding allegations of tenure elongation for retired Directors and Permanent Secretaries in violation of Public Service Rules, the FCTA says the issue has been resolved. The Minister assures workers of strict compliance with established public service regulations going forward.
On training and retraining of staff, the FCTA directs all SDAs to submit their general and specialized training needs to the Permanent Secretary, Common Services, for onward transmission to the Office of the Head of Service for appropriate action.
The administration also responds to complaints about non-remittance of National Housing Fund (NHF) deductions and pension contributions since May 2025. It clarifies that these remittances are driven by worker-related processes and not directly controlled by the Minister or FCTA management. To address the matter, the Head of Service has constituted a committee comprising workers’ representatives to holistically resolve all deduction and remittance issues.
Concerning claims of a defective promotion examination with an alleged pass rate of 22.5 percent, the FCTA states that the figures presented by JUAC lack official backing. Union leaders are therefore advised to await the formal release of examination results, as earlier directed by the Minister.
The issue of prolonged stay of overseeing directors is also addressed, with the FCTA noting that the conduct of the 2023 promotion exercise for eligible Deputy Directors, alongside the imminent release of the 2024 promotion results by the FCT Civil Service Commission, will conclusively resolve the concern.
The FCTA reiterates that the Minister has made sustained and deliberate efforts to address workers’ demands and will continue to give staff welfare top priority. The administration argues that, given the level of progress recorded and explanations provided during meetings, the ongoing strike action is unnecessary and counterproductive.
Finally, the FCTA calls on security agencies to ensure that workers who choose not to participate in the strike are granted unhindered access to their offices to carry out their lawful responsibilities in the interest of public service delivery.
