NLC plans protest in FCT over unpaid wages
Federal Character Commission (FCC) employees, yesterday, forcefully locked the commission’s premises in protest, demanding the immediate removal of its Chairman, Dr Muheeba Dankaka.

This was as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) warned it would shut down Abuja after July 3, if the authorities fail to resolve ongoing industrial disputes affecting area council workers.

The FCC workers, under the umbrella of the Joint Negotiating Council (Tripartite Union), accused Dankaka of crippling the commission’s operations through alleged mismanagement, corruption, abuse of office and disregard for civil service regulations.

Dankaka was confirmed as Chairman of the FCC in June 2020, alongside 35 other members nominated by then-President Muhammadu Buhari. Her appointment followed constitutional processes as laid out in Sections 14, 153, and 154(1) of the Constitution.

However, her tenure has been riddled with controversy, including petitions to anti-corruption agencies, disputes with commissioners, and accusations of centralising power and neglecting due process.

Established by Act No. 34 of 1996 and strengthened by the 1999 Constitution, the FCC is tasked with promoting fairness and equity in the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructure across Nigeria’s diverse regions.

But the staff say the very principles the commission was created to uphold, justice, inclusion and equitable representation, had been undermined under Dankaka’s leadership.

During the protest, Chairman of the union, Benson Ameh, said the workers could no longer endure “five years of decay and dictatorship” under Dankaka’s leadership.

He claimed that Dankaka was lobbying for a second term through high-level political figures, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje.

He said: “Allegations are rife that she has paid N500 million to secure her reappointment. She is going around boasting that no one, not even staff or commissioners, could stop her return.”

The union called on the Presidency, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), anti-graft agencies and other relevant bodies to investigate the commission’s financial records from 2020 to date.

Chairman of FCT NLC, Dr Stephen Knabayi, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday, stated that the action was aimed at compelling the FCT Administration to address welfare concerns raised by striking workers.

The union said it deliberately held back from action to allow President Bola Tinubu to conclude the series of project inaugurations in Abuja on July 3.

“We had to extend the ultimatum because of Tinubu’s movements to inaugurate the FCT-executed project,” Knabayi said. “Members of the union will take over the streets of Abuja as soon as Tinubu concludes the inauguration, hopefully on July 3. We are waiting for it to end, and we will come together to step up our planned action.”

The FCT has witnessed months of industrial unrest in its six area councils, with primary health centres shut down and public school teachers away from classrooms. Offices in the secretariats have also remained largely abandoned due to the strike action.