Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) on Monday commenced an indefinite strike, shutting down official activities across Abuja over what they described as unresolved demands by the Federal Government.

A visit to the FCTA Secretariat early Monday morning revealed a heavy security presence at the main entrance, with operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Police Force deployed to maintain order. Workers were denied access to the premises as normal activities were brought to a halt.

The industrial action is expected to disrupt operations across all FCTA secretariats, departments, agencies, area councils, and parastatals, effectively grounding government services within the Federal Capital Territory.

The strike followed a directive issued by the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC), which ordered workers across all cadres of the administration to withdraw their services beginning Monday, January 19, 2025.

In a statement dated January 8 and signed by the JUAC President, Rifkatu Iortyer, and the Secretary, Abdullahi Saleh, the unions explained that an ultimatum earlier issued on January 7 expired without any meaningful engagement or resolution from management.

According to the unions, their grievances include the non-payment of outstanding promotion arrears, delays in the conduct and release of promotion exercises, and the continued extension of service for retired directors and permanent secretaries. They argued that the practice has stalled career progression and morale among serving officers.

The workers also accused the administration of failing to remit statutory deductions such as pension contributions and National Housing Fund payments, warning that the situation poses serious risks to the future welfare and retirement benefits of affected staff.

JUAC further expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct and outcome of the 2024 promotion examinations, describing the exercise as largely unsuccessful and alleging that a significant number of union members were unfairly affected.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the FCTA or FCDA management on the strike action.