Organised labour and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have reached an agreement to resolve the industrial dispute that disrupted activities in Abuja, leading to the suspension of the ongoing strike and planned protests by FCTA workers.
The truce was reached after a marathon meeting convened by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Mohammed Bomoi, which lasted for more than three hours in Abuja.
Those in attendance at the meeting included Wike; President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero; President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo; as well as other labour leaders and key stakeholders.
Sources at the meeting said discussions were initially tense, with heated exchanges among parties, before calm was restored through the intervention of the Senate Committee chairman.
The meeting, which began shortly before midnight, ended at about 3:50 a.m. on Tuesday.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Benson Upah, said both sides reached a number of resolutions aimed at restoring industrial peace in the FCT.
According to him, it was agreed that no worker would be victimised as a result of participation in the strike or related actions.
He also disclosed that all outstanding cases between the parties at the National Industrial Court (NIC) would be withdrawn with immediate effect
Upah said all complaints earlier presented by members of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) were taken one after the other and addressed during the meeting.
He added that the FCT minister assured organised labour of mutual respect and sustained engagement going forward.
“Consequently, 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,” Upah said.
“All affiliates are enjoined to comply strictly with this directive in the interest of industrial peace and harmony.”
Before the meeting, organised labour had insisted that it would proceed with a massive protest to press home the demands of FCTA workers, despite police advice to shelve the action and an interim court order restraining the NLC and TUC from embarking on the protest.
With the new agreement, labour leaders say normal activities are expected to resume across FCT offices.
