*Following People&Politics’ exclusive
By our reporter
Seeking to stave off Monday’s planned protest by its workforce against poor conditions of service, authorities of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have swiftly set a date for a long overdue promotion examination.
The action came hours after People&Politics ran a widely circulated exclusive story on Friday, June 27, in which the paper reported the planned protest scheduled to last three days, beginning June 30.
Should the protest go ahead, it could,among others, seriously hamper the processing of certain sensitive land documents handled by some FCTA agencies; schools and general hospitals may close down; vehicle inspection officers may be off the roads, while several vital aspects of life in the nation’s capital will be severely impeded.
The workers,under their umbrella Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), are angry with the FCTA authorities for neglecting their welfare conditions since the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, came to office August, 2023.
Among a litany of demands which the union listed in protest documents,some of which were obtained by People&Politics , they complained of lack of promotion since 2023.
Furthermore, the union frowned at the non-payment, since December 2024, of the statutory overhead which enables directors and heads of departments to carry out day-to-day running of offices to ensure unhindered effective service delivery.
A director had told People&Politics that due to non-payment of overhead, many departments cannot even afford to buy mere A4 office papers for routine daily service delivery,thus impeding the goals of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
JUAC also disclosed that FCTA’s payment of President Tinubu’s wage award for five months was still in abeyance.
The award was approved by the president for workers, to soften the blows occasioned by his removal of fuel subsidy on May 29,2023.
Also, the union called for the sack of the Chairman, FCT Civil Service Commission, Mr Emeka Ezeh –a call earlier made few months ago by resident doctors in FCTA-owned District and General Hospitals during a strike which shut down the hospitals.
However, in an apparent U-turn, FCTA authorities have moved to mollify the workforce by fixing dates for the promotion examination.
In a circular obtained by People&Politics and signed by Mr Ezeh, the Commission said it had concluded arrangements to conduct “all pending promotion examinations for eligible officers in 2023 and 2024, starting with the 2023 promotion exercise for Deputy Directors.”
Deputy Directors are on salary grade level 16.
The circular was dated June 26, 2025 and addressed to Chief of Staff to the Minister; Head of FCT Civil Service; Mandate Secretaries; Permanent Secretaries; Coordinators of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC)/Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD)/Abuja Investment and Infrastructure Council (AIIC); and all Heads of Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs).
The circular was entitled: ‘Re: Year 2023 Promotion Exercise For Officers On Salary Grade Levels 16 And Year 2024 Promotion Exercise For Officers On Salary Grade Levels 04-16’.
It fixed the date for the deputy directors’ exercise on August 12 and 13, 2025, at National Open University Abuja Model Study Centre, Dutse Alhaji, in FCT.
Interestingly, no word was mentioned on the date or venue for same exercise for staff members on grade levels 4-15, who form the bulk of the workforce –a move a level 12 officer interpreted as “divide and rule tactics, which we reject.”
The deputy directors, the circular noted, were due for the promotion since January 1,2023.
Details of the circular read:”Kindly recall the Commission’s relevant correspondences on the above subject matter, namely Circular no. FCT/CSC/COMM/033/vol.1/007 dated 24th Dec,2024, Circular no. FCT/CSC/OTC/COMM/S. 033/Vol. 1/08 dated 14th March, 2025 and Letter no. FCT/CSC/OTC/COMM/S.033/Vol.1/08 dated 25th June, 2025.
“2. As a follow up to the above stated correspondences, please be informed that the Commission has concluded arrangements for the conduct of all pending promotion examinations for eligible officers in 2023 and 2024, starting with the 2023 promotion exercise for Deputy Directors. The promotion exercise for Deputy Directors due since 01/01/2023 has been scheduled to hold on the 12th and 13th August, 2025 at the National Open University Abuja Model Study Centre Dutse Alhaji, Abuja. The timetable for the exercise is herewith attached.
“3. Please note that the examination exercises shall be Computer-Based Test (CBT) as earlier approved by the Honourable Minister, FCT.
“4. Accordingly, all eligible Deputy Directors for the 2023 promoting year are by this circular advised to take advantage of this long notice and prepare for the promotion exercise.
“5. Please bring the content of this circular to all concerned staff of the FCT Civil Service.”
