FCT workers threaten strike over civil service commission law

Nigerian Federal Capital Territory (FCT) workers threaten strike over civil service commission law.

They Demand removal from IPPIS, others

Workers under the aegis of Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) have concluded an arrangement to embark on indefinite strike over alleged non-implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission Act of 2018.

The workers said grandstanding by FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, over the Act signed three years ago by President Muhammadu Buhari, had put their fate hanging in the air for too long, and should not be allowed.

They are also demanding removal of all FCTA staff from the Accountant General of the Federation’s Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System ( IPPIS) and release of all pending cases of conversion, upgrading and advancement

Other demands include abolition of casualisation of workers by FCTA, especially in Transportation Secretariat, Water Board and Abuja Environmental Protection Board.

Chairman of JUAC, Matilukoro Korede, told journalists, yesterday, in Abuja that the FCT Civil Service Commission Act would not be allowed to remain in the shelve while the administration continues to deny workers the benefits accruing from it.

Korede said that the just-concluded three-day warning strike by the workers was to tell the authorities that issues that affect their welfare should not be further subjected to political bottlenecks.

According to him, all the joint unions in FCTA and FCDA are prepared for the strike that will cripple all government activities.

Korede claimed that the workers’ patience has been exhausted, as the administration has refused to do the needful after several meetings with the labour leaders.

He said the workers had been resilient in demanding for implementation of Executive Order 1 of 2004, which abolished the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, long before the signing of the Act which has given FCT workers opportunity to advance in the service like their counterparts in the states.

It was learnt that a holistic implementation of the Executive Order 1 of 2004 and the FCT Civil Service Commission would lead to removal of the permanent secretary and give opportunity to FCT workers to advance more in administrative cadre, while a qualified worker from the system can be appointed as FCT Head of Service, as obtained in states.