NLC Threatens Total Shutdown of Abuja After July 3 Over Lingering Strike

|By Adekunle Adejumo-

-Labour Vows to Shut Down Abuja Over Prolonged Strike
– Primary Schools, Health Centres Crippled as Wike Faces Union Pressure

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a fresh warning to shut down Abuja following the prolonged strike action by area council workers.

Chairman of the FCT NLC, Dr. Stephen Knabayi, made the declaration during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), revealing that the union plans to mobilize thousands of workers to occupy the streets of the capital immediately after President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing inauguration of FCT projects ends on July 3.

Dr. Knabayi accused the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, of ignoring the plight of council workers, including primary health workers and teachers, who have been on strike for several months.

“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.

The strike has led to the closure of all primary health care centres and has kept primary school pupils and teachers at home, crippling essential services across the territory.

Earlier on Tuesday, primary school pupils staged a protest outside the residence of the FCT Minister, calling for immediate government intervention in the matter.

The NLC emphasized that the mass action is not aimed at disrupting the president’s activities but rather to demand accountability and urgent solutions to the crisis plaguing the grassroots workforce in the capital.

Unless urgent steps are taken by the FCT Administration, including payment of outstanding entitlements and resolution of workers’ grievances, the NLC said it would proceed with its planned protest without delay.