The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and organised labour unions have reached a midnight agreement that resulted in the suspension of the ongoing strike and the directive for affected employees to resume work, union and government sources said.
The accord followed more than three hours of negotiations, facilitated by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT, Senator Mohammed Bomoi, and attended by leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
After the meeting, Comrade Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the NLC, and Dr Nuhu Toro, General Secretary of the TUC, said several resolutions were adopted to restore industrial peace within the FCT.
They said the resolutions included assurances that no worker would be victimised for participating in the strike and that all cases instituted at the National Industrial Court related to the dispute would be withdrawn.
Wike, through the negotiation process, also committed to maintaining mutual respect and sustained dialogue with organised labour going forward, labour officials said.
Following the truce, workers under the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), as well as affiliates of both the NLC and TUC within the FCT Administration, were directed to return to work immediately.
“All JUAC members and all affiliates of the TUC and NLC working in the Ministry of the FCT are hereby directed to resume work immediately,” labour officials said.
Leaders urged compliance with the directive “in the interest of industrial peace and harmony”, emphasising the importance of cooperation in the resolution process.
The strike by FCT workers had disrupted operations across various departments and agencies in the territory. The industrial action followed unresolved labour grievances within the FCT Administration, prompting warnings from security authorities and legal action seeking restraint of the strike.
The resolution ends the labour action and paves the way for a return to normal activities in the nation’s capital, with both parties committing to continued engagement on outstanding issues.
A late-night agreement between FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and organised labour unions has led to the suspension of the ongoing strike and the immediate resumption of work by affected employees.
The accord included assurances against victimisation, the withdrawal of court cases, and a commitment to sustained dialogue to foster industrial peace.
