The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has threatened to enforce a strict “no work, no pay” policy against teachers and other workers participating in the indefinite strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), escalating the confrontation between the FCT Administration and organised labour over unresolved employment disputes.
Wike issued the warning on Friday after meeting with chairmen of the six area councils in Abuja, directing them to ensure that teachers and other affected workers who participate in the industrial action face the consequences of staying away from their duties.
The minister dismissed the strike as “political and baseless”, insisting that the FCT Administration had addressed the issues raised by the unions and was implementing previously agreed resolutions.
He directed the area council chairmen to warn teachers against participating in the strike, threatening that workers who withdraw their services would not be paid for the period they remain away from work.
The threat comes amid an escalating dispute over teachers’ promotion procedures, the rescheduling of promotion examinations and the alleged demotion and redeployment of education officials in the FCT.
The NLC’s FCT council declared an indefinite strike beginning Wednesday, October 7, following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the minister over what the union described as unresolved labour grievances.
The union’s demands include the removal of the vacancy requirement for teachers’ promotions, reconsideration of eligible teachers who were unable to sit for their 2025 promotion examinations, and the withdrawal of redeployment and demotion letters issued to directors who benefited from the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act, 2022.
The labour body has argued that teachers should not be subjected to the vacancy-based promotion system applicable to other categories of civil servants, maintaining that career advancement should depend on eligibility rather than the availability of vacant positions.
According to the union, the FCT Administration’s response to its ultimatum failed to resolve the substantive issues, leaving industrial action as its remaining option.
Wike, however, rejected the union’s position, maintaining that the administration had fulfilled its obligations and was implementing agreements reached with relevant stakeholders.
The minister also argued that matters concerning teachers’ promotions were being addressed, while issues involving the appointment and redeployment of directors fell within the established procedures of the relevant authorities.
Beyond threatening salary sanctions, Wike accused the leadership of the FCT NLC of pursuing political interests through the strike.
He alleged that the union’s FCT chairman, Knabayi Adalo, had previously contested an area council election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), suggesting that the industrial action was intended to create political tension in the territory.
The minister accused the union leadership of attempting to use the disruption of academic activities as a political tool, warning that the administration would not yield to what he described as blackmail.
He also challenged union leaders with political ambitions to relinquish their leadership positions rather than use organised labour to advance partisan interests.
However, the allegations against the NLC leadership were made by Wike and do not, in themselves, establish that the union’s decision to embark on the strike was politically motivated.
The FCT chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) have reportedly opposed the industrial action, with the TUC directing its members to disregard the strike directive on the grounds that it was not consulted before the decision was taken.
ASUSS also described the strike as premature, warning that the action could disrupt academic activities and negatively affect students.
Nevertheless, the disagreement among labour groups has not erased the substantive issues raised by the NLC concerning promotion procedures and the treatment of education officials.
Wike’s threat to withhold salaries has introduced another dimension to the dispute, placing teachers in a difficult position as they weigh their participation in collective labour action against the potential financial consequences.
For affected workers, the dispute centres on more than the immediate suspension of academic activities. The union’s demands raise questions about promotion eligibility, career progression and the treatment of education officials under the FCT Administration.
The minister’s position, meanwhile, is that the administration has addressed the grievances and that the strike is unjustified.
The confrontation now leaves the FCT Administration and organised labour facing pressure to resolve their differences, with teachers, parents and pupils at risk of bearing the consequences of a prolonged shutdown.
As the strike continues, the central questions remain whether the outstanding grievances will be resolved and whether the threat of salary sanctions will compel workers to return to their duties or deepen the dispute between the government and organised labour.