By Gami Tadanyigbe
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, has called off the indefinite strike it embarked on Feb. 17.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that NULGE began the industrial action over non-payment of Jan. 2022 salary, and non-release of Dec. 2021 allocation to local councils by the FCT Administration (FCTA).
The FCT NULGE President, Ibrahim Kabi, in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, called on all members of the union in the six area councils to resume work immediately.
“The union embarked on the industrial action on Feb. 17, for non-payment of January salaries and release of councils` allocation.
“The FCTA has today released the councils` allocation where members have started seeing their salary alert which has been our major agitation.
“Sequel to the above, the protest has been cancelled and all members are hereby directed to resume in their places of work.
“We appreciate all our members for being in solidarity with the union and for being patient throughout this period of hardship,” he said.
Kabi, however, stressed that only full autonomy to local governments would end the lingering crisis in local councils nationwide.
According to him, the autonomy will put to an end to the current system which treats local governments like Ministries, Departments and Agencies of state governments.
When NAN visited Kuje Area Council Secretariat, workers were yet to fully resume, as only few security guards were seen at the gate.
However, Mr Daniel Mshelia, a staff of the council, who was sighted at the secretariat, told NAN that he came to find out if work had resumed.
Mshelia said he had received only one month salary as against the two months he was expecting, adding that the money would not meet the demands of his family. (NAN)
