The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) FCT chapter, Friday, matched to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) office at the central area, and FCT minister’s gate in a peaceful protest to demand for the implementation salary entitlements.
The entitlements include and their 40% peculiar, 25% CONHESS salary increment, 25-35% CONPSS salary increment, six months N35,000 wage award and N70,000 minimum wage owed them by the FCT council chairmen.
The protesters also demanded the resignation or removal of the six area council chairmen whom they accused of being indifferent to the workers’ rights.
The protest commenced at the NLC headquarters with the NLC president, Comrade Joe Ajaero and affiliate union leaders addressing members on the neglect of the local government workers by the political class.
The FCT NULGE president, Comrade Abdullahi Ibrahim Kabi, while addressing the crowd commended the efforts and resilience of members, saying it would yield positive result after exhausting every avenue for dialogue.
Kabi said: “The FCT area council chairmen are holding us to ransom for their inability to act in agreement to the various Memorandum of Understanding (MOU’s) signed with them to implement and pay up the backlog of arrears owed the staff of the local government across the six councils.
Earlier at the beginning of the peaceful protest, workers carrying placards with different inscriptions marched from the Labour House in the central area to the FCT minister’s office at Area 11, chanting anti-government songs to state their demands.
Also, tension escalated when armed policemen locked the main gate of the minister’s office, preventing the protesters from entering.
However, the organised labour group stood firm, insisting that the minister must address them himself and vowed to block the movement of staff and officials until their demands were met.