Lere Olayinka: FCTA Has Met 10 Demands of Striking Workers, Only Four Left
Yahaya Idris, Abuja
Lere Olayinka, the media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that the FCT Administration has fulfilled 10 out of the 14 demands presented by workers currently on strike, assuring that efforts are intensifying to resolve the remaining four without further delay.
In a statement issued on Monday, Olayinka emphasized the administration’s commitment to dialogue and rapid action, noting that top FCTA officials have engaged union leaders in several high-level meetings, some of which extended into the weekend.
The revelation comes amid ongoing disruptions in public services across Abuja, where thousands of FCT workers under the umbrella of the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) have paralyzed operations in secretariats, hospitals, and waste management agencies since last week. Workers, protesting alleged unpaid promotions, welfare packages, and infrastructural deficits, have grounded activities, leading to piled-up refuse and halted administrative processes in the nation’s capital.
Olayinka’s update signals a expected breakthrough, as the FCTA races to avert a total shutdown that could escalate tensions in the seat of power.
The statement from Olayinka, a seasoned journalist-turned-political aide, painted a picture of proactive governance under Wike’s leadership, highlighting how the administration swiftly addressed core grievances to restore normalcy.
“The FCT Administration, under the able guidance of Minister Nyesom Wike, has demonstrated uncommon resolve in tackling the workers’ demands head-on,” Olayinka stated, listing the 10 resolved issues as including the immediate payment of outstanding promotion arrears for eligible staff, regularization of casual workers into permanent employment, and the provision of emergency welfare palliatives amid rising living costs.
He further noted that directives had been issued for the rehabilitation of dilapidated staff quarters in areas like Area 11 and Garki, with contractors already mobilized to site.
These concessions, according to sources close to the negotiations, followed intense sessions where union representatives laid bare the plight of low cadre workers battling inflation and poor service conditions.
The weekend meetings, held at the FCTA headquarters, reportedly lasted late into the night, underscoring Wike’s hands-on approach since assuming office, a style reminiscent of his tenure as Rivers State governor where labour disputes were often nipped in the bud through direct intervention.
Despite the progress, Olayinka acknowledged that four demands remain unresolved, even as work progresses at top speed to meet them within days.
These include the full implementation of the 25% salary increase benchmark for FCT workers aligned with federal civil service adjustments, provision of official vehicles for union executives, upgrade of health facilities in satellite towns like Bwari and Gwagwalada, and the construction of a new union secretariat.
“We are not resting on our oars; the Minister has personally assured that no stone will be left unturned to close these gaps,” Olayinka affirmed, urging striking workers to suspend their action and resume duties in the interest of Abuja residents.
The aide’s plea comes against the backdrop of growing public outcry over the strike’s impact, with markets in Nyanya and Kubwa reporting scarcity of goods due to disrupted logistics, and hospitals like the National Hospital turning away non-emergency patients. Labour leaders, however, have maintained a hardline stance, insisting on verifiable commitments before calling off the action, a position that has drawn mixed reactions from civil society groups monitoring the impasse.
The strike, which commenced on Thursday last week, stems from months of pent-up frustrations among FCT workers over perceived neglect by previous administrations, a narrative Olayinka sought to counter by crediting Wike’s team for inherited challenges.
Union sources revealed that the 14-point demand list was first submitted in October 2025, but gained urgency following the yuletide period when unpaid allowances exacerbated hardships for families in Abuja’s sprawling suburbs.
“Our members have endured enough; from flooded offices during rainy seasons to erratic power supply in secretariats, we demand action, not promises,” a JUAC spokesperson told our correspondent prior to Olayinka’s statement.
The FCTA’s response, including the 10 met demands, has been hailed by some analysts as a masterstroke in industrial relations, potentially setting a precedent for other federal agencies grappling with similar unrest.
Wike, known for his no-nonsense style, has reportedly bypassed bureaucratic red tape by approving funds from the FCT’s intervention budget, a move that has impressed even sceptical observers within the labour movement.
As negotiations continue, the FCTA has ramped up public enlightenment campaigns to underscore the gains already secured, with Olayinka’s statement circulated across media platforms and union channels.
Key among the resolved demands is the payment of N10 billion in backlog salaries and leave allowances, disbursed directly into workers’ accounts last Friday, a development confirmed by multiple beneficiaries who spoke anonymously fearing reprisals. Another milestone is the approval for 500 casual workers in the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) to transition to permanent status, complete with training programs to boost efficiency in waste evacuation, a critical service amid Abuja’s perennial sanitation woes.
Olayinka also highlighted the minister’s directive for immediate roof repairs and electrification of the FCT Civil Service Commission’s headquarters, addressing long-standing safety concerns that exposed staff to harsh weather.
These actions, he argued, reflect Wike’s vision of a worker-friendly FCT, where productivity drives development rather than industrial strife.
Critics, however, question the timeline for the remaining four demands, pointing to past instances where labour agreements in the FCT evaporated post-strike. “Ten down, four to go sounds good, but we’ve heard this tune before; we need MOUs signed in blood,” quipped a senior union official during a rally at the FCTA gate on Monday.
The administration’s engagement strategy has involved not just top officials like the Permanent Secretary, Adaeze Oreh, but also Wike himself, who sources say joined virtual sessions from Lagos over the weekend.
This high-level involvement has thawed some ice, with moderate union factions pushing for a return to work while hardliners hold firm.
Abuja residents, caught in the crossfire, have borne the brunt, with refuse heaps dotting major roads like the Airport Road and Jabi, posing health risks in the harmattan season.
Political pundits see the unfolding drama as a litmus test for Wike’s influence in the Tinubu administration, especially with 2027 elections looming.
Olayinka’s disclosure arrives at a pivotal moment for FCT labour relations, historically fraught with tensions dating back to the Malam El-Rufai era when strikes over land allocations and funding shortfalls were commonplace.
Unlike predecessors, Wike’s aggressive infrastructure push, including the ongoing dualization of the Airport Road and river basin projects, has won him allies among workers, but salary disparities with core federal ministries remain a sore point.
The aide’s statement meticulously outlined the met demands: payment of 2023/2024 promotion arrears (item 1), regularization of 1,200 contract staff (item 2), welfare grants of N50,000 per worker (item 3), renovation of 10 staff clinics (item 4), provision of 500 housing units via cooperative schemes (item 5), training for 2,000 low-cadre staff (item 6), settlement of transport allowances (item 7), upgrade of ICT infrastructure in 15 departments (item 8), approval for union buses (item 9), and audit of pension remittances (item 10).
Each resolution, Olayinka noted, carries timelines enforceable through joint monitoring committees. With only four demands left, optimism is building within government circles that a deal could be struck by mid-week, potentially averting escalation involving affiliate unions like the NLC and TUC.
The unresolved items, salary benchmark harmonization, executive vehicles, satellite health upgrades, and union secretariat, require federal approvals and budgetary allocations, explaining the slight delay.
“The Minister is pulling all levers, including appeals to Mr. President, to fast-track these,” Olayinka assured, while calling on workers to emulate the spirit of give-and-take.
Stakeholders, including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and market associations, have waded in, urging restraint to safeguard Abuja’s fragile peace.
As refuse trucks idle and files gather dust, the FCTA’s partial concessions offer a glimmer of hope, but sustained trust-building will be key to lasting industrial harmony.
The broader implications of the strike ripple beyond Abuja, affecting federal parastatals headquartered in the FCT and underscoring Nigeria’s perennial challenge of aligning subnational wages with national benchmarks. Economists warn that prolonged action could inflate service delivery costs, with private waste managers already hiking fees in affected districts.
Wike’s team, drawing from his Rivers playbook, has deployed community engagement officers to markets and mosques, explaining the 10 met demands via flyers and town halls. Labour veterans recall similar impasses under FCT ministers like Mohammed Bello, where strikes lasted weeks, but Olayinka’s proactive communication—echoing his days as a reporter—has kept narratives favourable. As Tuesday dawned, union picket lines thinned slightly, hinting at internal debates over suspension.
In conclusion, while Lere Olayinka’s announcement marks significant headway, the ball remains in the unions’ court to reciprocate with resumed work.
The FCTA vows no reversals on gains made, positioning Wike as a labour-friendly helmsman in Abuja’s political chessboard.
Residents yearn for normalcy, with schoolchildren back in classes and commuters spared gridlock from uncollected waste.
As mediators shuttle between parties, all eyes are on the next meeting slated for today, where the final four demands could seal peace or prolong the agony.
