The National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), in the Federal Capital Territory, says it will continue with its ongoing industrial action until the area councils statutory allocations are released.
Mr Haruna Hassan, the NULGE Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chapter, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.
He said that the six area councils staff salary for January had not been paid as a result of the FCT Administration’s refusal to release their statutory allocations.
“Our demand is for them to pay our staff salaries, we want the FCT Administration to release our statutory allocations for January.
“They held the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting and afterwards, the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) was also held.
“What is was remaining was for the FCTA to disburse the funds, but what we saw was that some area councils were given salary figures, instead of their allocation that is duly meant for them.
“We are calling on the FCT Administration to release our allocation because if you look at the country, it is only the FCT local governments that has full autonomy.
“We are not like other states that the governors determine when local government staff salaries will be paid.
“We have never had it like this before; we want the release of our full allocation to all the area council in the FCT.
“So far now, the strike is indefinite and we are planning to have another protest in the new week if our demands are not met,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the union on Feb. 17, embarked on an indefinite industrial action across the six area councils in the FCT to drive home their demands.(NAN)
