The FCT chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has suspended its ongoing strike and directed staff of the six area councils, including the non- teaching staff of the Local Education Authority (LEA) to resume work today.
City & Crime had reported that the union on January 12, 2024, embarked on strike over non -implementation and payment of arrears of 40 percent peculiar allowance as well as 25 percent CONHESS/CONMESS salary structure approved by the federal government to all civil servants.
Their demands also include non-payment of N35,000 wage palliative to civil servants to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal, among others.
The union announced the suspension of the strike in a communique jointly signed by the FCT NULGE President, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Kabir and Comrade Ogueri Bridget, which was made available to journalists at end of the emergency State Executive Council (SEC) meeting at NULGE secretariat in Gwagwalada on Monday.
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The union said the decision to suspend the strike followed the intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who promised to pay 40 percent of the total sum of all the outstanding arrears across the six area councils, totalling N2.7 billion, which is to be paid in four months.
The union also appreciated Wike for committing the six area council chairmen to pay the 60 percent balance accruing to each area council totaling N4.1 billion in four installments, which is to be deducted directly from the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC).
The communique added that Wike’s resolve to seek clarification from the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission on the eligibility of the FCT area councils’ workers to the 40 percent peculiar allowance and 25 percent CONHESS/CONMESS salary adjustment is quite commendable.
The union further appreciated the minister for approving N400 million to be shared among the six area councils as immediate commitment to suspend the strike.
The union, however, warned that failure by the FCTA or the area councils to abide by the agreement reached by the ministerial directive within the stipulated time will leave the union with no option than to resume the suspended strike.
