*Tension Still High,Though Employees Resume Work Today
*Union To Issue 21-day Notice Next
*Workers Insist Civil Service Commission Chair, Ezeh, Must Go
*Still No Word From FCTA Authorities
By our reporter
Though the about 40,000-strong workforce of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will resume work this morning after a three-day protest over poor conditions of service, the industrial action was not without a huge cost.
A male worker reportedly died on his way to participate in the protest on Tuesday, July 1.
Competent sources in the workers’ umbrella Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) told People&Politics that the staff member, described as a casual staff of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), was on his way to the Area 11,Garki, Abuja venue of the protest from his base in Suleja, neighbouring Niger State, when he got involved in a fatal accident.
AEPB casual workers have allegedly not been paid salaries for eight months now –the payment which is one of the key demands of the protesting FCTA staff members.
AEPB is the agency statutorily mandated to clean the streets of the nation’s capital and keep the Federal Capital City (FCC Abuja) spick and span.
How He Died
According to the account, corroborated by other staff members, the unidentified man and his colleague were traveling in a vehicle which then ran into a traffic jam, a development which compelled both men to board a commercial motorcycle (popularly called okada) in a bid to get to the protest venue on time.
It was gathered that as they traveled, the bike was hit by a vehicle, with the man sustaining serious injuries.
“He was rushed to Wuse General Hospital where he was confirmed dead,” the sources said.
His colleague was not that unlucky as he reportedly escaped death,but with injuries.
As news of the demise filtered in to the protest venue on Tuesday, grief-stricken colleagues observed a minute’s silence in honour of the soul of the deceased.
Meeting With Management Inconclusive
Meanwhile, the workforce ended the protest yesterday,but still angry because a meeting with the FCTA authorities was inconclusive.
The union leaders, who attended the meeting, walked out of the parley protesting the alleged refusal of management to publicly address the protesting workers, who had endured a heavy downpour on Tuesday to participate in the industrial action.
JUAC Chairperson, Mrs. Rifkatu Iortyer, disclosed as much when she addressed the workers yesterday.
She said: “Yesterday (Tuesday), we met with management. Because they did not come out to address you—colleagues who stood under the rain—we walked out.”
“We told them that we are only leading you and conveying your concerns. If they refuse to speak to all of us, we won’t continue the conversation in private.”
People&Politics gathered that prior to the walkout, the management were prepared to concede certain demands such as promotions (on which a circular had been issued last week), trainings too, but it could not be confirmed what position was taken on the vexed, statutory overhead matter.
However, workers insisted that Chairman, FCT Civil Service Commission,Mr Emeka Ezeh, must be sacked for peace to reign.
On the next steps to get management accede to workers’ demands, Iortyer disclosed that they would follow the nation’s labour laws by first issuing a 21-day notice to the Administration.
According to her, this will be followed by a 14-day notice, and a final seven-day notice –if no action is taken by the Administration.
Her words: “We have written the letter for the 21-day ultimatum. After that expires without response, we will give them 14 more days. If nothing happens, we will issue another seven-day notice. If that fails, we will resume action.
“My sincere prayer is that they hear us. We want them to hear us—that’s why we’ve gathered.
“But if they don’t, we will not back down. We will pursue the next steps they are avoiding.”
Should these measures fail, People&Politics was told, the union will call out workers for full blown strike. That may be sometime in August,2025.
Nonetheless, it has been mum’s the word from the Administration on the matter.
Among other demands, the workers seek their promotions for 2023,2024,and 2025; the payment of the overhead funds, stopped since December, 2024, which is used by heads of departments to run FCTA’s Secretariats, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) on a day-to-day basis; the resumption of training and retraining of staff members.
