Court Fixes Tuesday To Rule On Application To Halt FCTA Workers’ Strike Action

The National Industrial Court in Abuja has scheduled Tuesday, January 27, to deliver a ruling on an application seeking to halt the ongoing strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

Justice Emmanuel Subilim adjourned the case for judgement after hearing arguments from legal representatives of both parties.

The suit, filed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, requested the court to compel striking FCTA employees to return to work.

The workers initiated the strike over alleged unresolved welfare issues, including five months of unpaid salaries, long-standing promotion arrears, and poor working conditions.

In the lawsuit, the FCT Minister and the FCTA were listed as claimants, while the President and Secretary of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), Rifkatu Iortyer and Abdullahi Saleh, were named as defendants.

Counsel for the defendants, Maxwell Okpara, asked the court to include the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) as respondents, arguing that their inclusion would ensure any court order applies to them.

However, James Onoja, SAN, representing the FCT Minister, opposed the request, maintaining that the suit was properly filed against only the two defendants, who were not registered under the Trade Union Act.

Onoja urged the court to grant their application and order the striking employees back to work, noting that the industrial action has disrupted essential services across the Federal Capital Territory.

Ruling on the joinder request, Justice Subilim stated that because the claimants opted to sue only the two defendants, the court could not compel the addition of other parties.

The judge, therefore, adjourned the case until Tuesday, January 27, for judgement on the application seeking a restraining order against the strike.