The Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is bustling with activities as normalcy returns after the suspension of the planned solidarity protest by labour unions on Tuesday.
The protest was suspended after a truce was reached between the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the labour unions in the early hours of Tuesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers, who resumed work on Monday, were seen carrying out their activities and providing various services.
A visit to some of the offices in the Minister’s Block, Treasury Department, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Abuja Geographical System (AGIS), and others, on Wednesday, showed that workers were at work, carrying out their duties.
NAN recalls that the FCTA workers under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) had on Jan. 19 embarked on industrial action over unresolved welfare concerns.
The strike was, however, stopped by a ruling of the National Industrial Court on Jan 27, which ordered the workers to resume work, a decision that didn’t go well with the union leaders, who insisted that the strike must continue.
A truce was reached after a meeting that lasted several hours from late night Monday to early hours of Tuesday between the union leaders, officials of the FCT Administration, Wike and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Sen. Mohammed Bomoi.
Reacting to the truce, the minister told journalists after inspecting some ongoing projects in Abuja on Tuesday that there was no winner and no loser.
He expressed delight that the union leaders have seen the realities on the ground, which had helped to clear misconceptions.
“I’m happy that the trade union and labour congress came to see things for themselves. Sometimes it’s good. What they were told is not really what’s on the ground.
“But by and large, we have had a good meeting, and they’ve directed the workers to go back to work, which you can see has been done.
“So, we’re happy that at the end of the day, there is no winner, no loser. It’s for the interest of Abuja to progress,” he said.
NAN recalls that the organised labour had on Tuesday resolved the dispute between JUAC and Wike, leading to the immediate resumption of work by affected employees.
A circular, jointly signed by the Secretary-General of the TUC, Mr Nuhu Toro, and the Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Mr Benson Upah, stated that the minister assured labour of mutual respect and sustained engagement on labour-related matters in the FCT.
It said the parties also agreed that no worker would be victimised for participating in the strike action and that all outstanding cases at the National Industrial Court would be withdrawn immediately.
Following the agreement, the NLC and TUC directed all affected workers to resume duty without delay. (NAN)
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