FCT workers begin protest over unpaid benefits, delayed promotions, and staff welfare grievances, calling out the minister’s silence on critical labour issues

FCT workers begin protest action on Monday, June 30, over longstanding staff welfare issues, including unpaid benefits, delayed promotions, and unresolved salary challenges.

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The Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) announced the three-day demonstration, which will run from Monday, June 30, to Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

The union accuses the FCT Minister of “blatant refusal” to address long-neglected labour grievances.

In a statement titled “PROTEST!!! PROTEST!!! PROTEST!!!”, JUAC President Rifkatu Iortyer directed all union members and affiliate groups to converge at the Minister’s Main Gate in Area 11, Garki, Abuja, by 7:00 a.m. daily during the protest.

“The protest is against the blatant refusal of the FCT Minister to address salient issues affecting staff,” Iortyer said.

The union listed several demands including the promotion of staff overdue since 2023, salary administration reforms, and payment of outstanding entitlements.

JUAC is also calling for the removal of the Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission and an end to the practice of appointing overseeing directors.

Other grievances include:

Domestication of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS)

Inaccessibility of the salary portal to designated desk officers

Lack of overhead funding since December 2024

Alleged illegal deductions such as the National Housing Fund (NHF)

Unpaid five-month wage awards and hazard allowances for health workers

No staff training or retraining initiatives

Neglected FCTA primary school pupils who remain out of school

Unpaid salaries for Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) enforcement squads

“All members of staff are advised to gather at the Minister’s Main Gate in Area 11 to drive home their demands,” the statement concluded.

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JUAC has long expressed frustration over bureaucratic bottlenecks within the FCTA and warned that the current protest may escalate into a full strike if no action is taken