By Adamu Abdullahi
Labour unions in Abuja, under the aegis of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC), FCT Administration, have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, threatening to embark on an indefinite strike if their demands are not met.
The ultimatum, dated January 8, 2026, was contained in a notice signed by the JUAC FCT President, Comrade Rafikatu Iortyer, and the Secretary, Abdullahi Umar Saleh.
According to the unions, the prevailing industrial harmony in the FCT is under serious threat due to the failure of relevant authorities to address the grievances of FCT workers.
The ultimatum listed several unresolved issues, including the non-release of approved overhead costs for six months in 2025, non-payment of five months’ wage award arrears, and failure to remit National Housing Fund (NHF) deductions.
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Other demands include the unlawful centralisation of salary preparation and payment, non-payment of 2023 promotion arrears, and the failure to restructure and upgrade the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Information Office into a full-fledged department.
The unions also decried the refusal to observe financial autonomy and established thresholds for Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
JUAC further demanded the payment of 13 months’ hazard allowance and 22 months’ rural allowance owed to FCT health workers, as well as improved training and retraining opportunities for staff.
Additional grievances highlighted include staff intimidation and harassment, including alleged bans on phone usage by AGIS staff, defective promotion examination processes with a pass rate of 22.5 per cent, and the non-remittance of pension contributions to individual Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) since May 2025.
The unions also called for the extension of tenure for retired directors and permanent secretaries in the FCT.
JUAC warned that failure to meet the demands within the stipulated seven days would leave it with no option but to direct its members to commence an indefinite strike—an action it said it has consistently tried to avoid.
