The strike followed months of warning strikes and protest actions.

The Abuja chapter of the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has slammed the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the six Area Council Chairmen for their continued failure to meet the demands of the striking workers in the territory.

In a statement issued by its Abuja coordinator, Adaramoye Michael Lenin, the group expressed solidarity with primary school teachers, healthcare workers, and other council staff who have been on an indefinite strike since March 24, 2025.

The striking workers, represented by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), are demanding the immediate implementation of the new national minimum wage and payment of outstanding arrears.

The strike followed months of warning strikes and protest actions.

The unions had issued ultimatums and held several demonstrations before embarking on the indefinite action, citing the authorities' failure to engage in meaningful dialogue or fulfil past agreements.

According to CDWR, the ongoing strike has crippled basic services across the FCT, as primary health centres have been shut down, leaving many communities without access to healthcare.

Also, thousands of pupils remain out of school due to the closure of public primary schools, while administrative functions at the Area Council secretariats have also ground to a halt.

“This strike action means that access to healthcare services through the primary health centres is unavailable, even though many communities rely on these facilities for healthcare,” Lenin stated.

“It is a clear show of callous negligence that Wike and the six area council chairpersons continue to look the other way while workers suffer and are subjected to penury.”

“Also, many communities are in danger of a health crisis due to the strike, while many students roam the streets as the doors of schools remain shut,” he added.

“This is pure wickedness and a disregard for the welfare of workers and the people of Abuja.”

The group accused the FCT administration of prioritising elite projects over the welfare of workers, citing the recent allocation of N39 billion for the renovation of the International Conference Centre, which was renamed after President Bola Tinubu.

The group also criticised the President’s silence on the plight of FCT workers and called on the national leadership of labour unions to intervene.

It said, “It is not true that the Area councils and the government are not rich enough to pay the workers.

“A look at the abysmal condition of the infrastructure of schools and hospitals will reveal a complete neglect by these administrators; one would begin to wonder what these Area council chairpersons are using the allocations for.

“Also, these Area council chairpersons are earning an outrageous amount as salaries and emoluments, yet they want us to believe there is no money for workers to receive their legitimate pay.

“If the Area councils are truly poor, why are the chairperson and their cronies receiving humongous salaries and allowances? This is a case of poverty for the workers and opulence for the chairmen.

“Also, the FCT minister just splashed N39 billion to repair the International Conference Centre, which has now been renamed after the president who has maintained criminal silence on the plight of workers.”

The CDWR expressed full support for a three-day mass protest scheduled to begin Monday and urged the FCT leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to rally broader union support in solidarity with the striking workers.

The group also called on national leaders of NLC, NUT, NULGE, and NANNM to lend their voices to the campaign.

“We commend the doggedness of the workers who have been on strike since March 24, after several warning strikes and protest actions,” Lenin stated.

“We also support the 3-day mass protest scheduled to commence on Monday.

“We call on the FCT leadership of NLC, who have stood by the affected FCT workers, to mobilise workers in other unions to support the protest action of the striking workers.

“Such a show of solidarity is needed to put more pressure on the government and ensure the demands of the FCT workers are met.”

The group added that the national leaders of the “NLC, NUT, NULGE, and NANNAM must openly lend their weight to the struggle and demands of the FCT workers”.

“The Tinubu government and area council administrations must be forced to fully implement the new minimum wage for the FCT workers and also settle all arrears,” the group said.

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