The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to completely shut down the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following the conclusion of President Bola Tinubu’s project inaugurations scheduled to end on July 3.
Stephen Knabayi, Chairman of the NLC FCT Chapter, announced the planned action during an interview in Abuja on Thursday. He stated the shutdown is intended to force the FCT Administration to resolve the ongoing strike by workers employed by the territory’s six area councils.
Knabayi detailed the impact: primary health care centers remain closed, primary school teachers are absent, and area council secretariats have been abandoned for months. These workers initiated strikes due to the non-payment of the national minimum wage and a 40% “peculiar allowance.”
Describing the situation as “very unfortunate,” Knabayi asserted the area council chairmen left the union no alternative but to escalate to a territory-wide shutdown. He confirmed the NLC issued a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration on June 13th, demanding resolution of the issues raised by teachers, health workers, and other council staff. This ultimatum, backed by joint unions including the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, and the Medical and Health Workers Union, expired on June 20th without action.
Knabayi explained the NLC delayed its response solely to avoid disrupting President Tinubu’s schedule of project inaugurations, part of activities marking his administration’s second year. “We had to extend the ultimatum because of Tinubu’s movements to inaugurate the FCT-executed project,” he said.
“Members of the union will take over the streets of Abuja as soon as Tinubu concludes the inaugurations, hopefully on July 3. We are waiting for it to end, and we will come together to step up our planned action,” Knabayi stated.
He added that the NLC has already notified the FCT Administration and security agencies of the planned protest, characterizing the shutdown as a last resort to compel their demands.
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