National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Bwari Area Council branch has shut down activities at the council secretariat by barricading the main entrance gate.
The protesting workers led by their chairman, Emmanuel Ishaku, barricaded the entrance to the secretariat with their vehicles where they addressed the gathering on their grievances, vowing not to surrender until their demands are met.
The workers were seen carrying placards with inscriptions like; ‘’What is our offence? Pay us our 35 percent wage award, FCT chairmen Key into the renewed hope Agenda of Mr. President, A hungry man is an angry man, Be more responsive pay us our right, an injury to one is an injury to all.’’
They said that the allocation to the area council is more than enough to implement all their entitlements, accusing the area council chairmen of trying to rubbish the good intentions of the FCT minister Nyesom Wike for the FCT.
FCT workers reminded the council chairmen that public servants are master planners as they would not be able to achieve anything without them.
The parent body of the union at FCT level had written to the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike where they raised issues on the non-implementation of their 40 percent allowances, pension deductions, statutory deductions and other rights and privileges.
The letter, which was made available to the journalists was signed by Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Kabi, state president of NULGE and Comrade Bridget Ayendi, state secretary of the union.
The letter reads, “The SEC-in session after exhaustive deliberations on lingering issues as regards the non-implementation of 40 percent peculiar allowance, pension deduction, hazard arrears, cooperative deduction, 25 percent adjusted CONMESS/CONHESS respectively Resolved that a seven (7) day ultimatum be issued to Area Council Chairmen with effect from January 3 to 11 January, 2024 to maintain existing industrial peace and harmony.
“That if after the seven days’ ultimatum and our demands are not met, then the Union would have no option than to shut down activities in all the area councils and LEA on Friday January 12, 2024 until our demands are met.”
As at the time of filing this report, all the primary, junior and senior secondary schools under the council were closed.
