Primary schools and public health centres across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) remained shut on Friday as the ongoing strike by workers of the FCT Administration (FCTA) entered its ninth day, deepening disruptions to education and basic healthcare services.
The strike, declared by workers under the umbrella of the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), has continued despite a court order directing the unions to suspend the action, with organised labour insisting that the dispute remains unresolved.
Checks across several area councils showed that public primary schools were still locked, forcing pupils to remain at home, while residents who visited local health centres were turned back due to the absence of medical personnel.
Many parents and caregivers expressed frustration over the prolonged shutdown, saying the closure of schools and health facilities had compounded economic and social pressures on households.
“This strike is affecting the most vulnerable people,” a resident of Gwagwalada said. “Children are missing school, and sick people have nowhere to go.”
The industrial action widened earlier in the week after the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the FCT joined the strike in solidarity with JUAC, further grounding public services at the grassroots level.
However, the situation appeared different at the FCTA Secretariat in Abuja, where workers were seen in several Secretariats, Departments and Agencies carrying out routine duties.
Similar activity was observed at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS), with staff present in their offices, suggesting uneven compliance with the strike directive across FCT institutions.
JUAC, however, maintained that the strike remained in force and had directed its members to stay away from work until all outstanding demands were addressed.
The labour action followed an interlocutory injunction issued by the National Industrial Court on January 27, which ordered the workers to suspend the strike and adjourned the substantive matter to March 23.
JUAC rejected the ruling and subsequently filed an appeal against the decision through its lead counsel, Femi Falana, SAN, insisting that the court order did not address the core issues in dispute.
Shortly after the appeal was filed, JUAC Secretary Abdullahi Saleh issued a circular instructing workers to continue the strike from Thursday, urging members to remain resolute.
In the circular, Saleh called on workers to “stay at home and pray for the success of the struggle,” stressing that unity, discipline and commitment were required to achieve their objectives.
The labour unions have also drawn support from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), which issued a joint communiqué backing the FCT workers.
In the statement, signed by NLC Acting General Secretary Benson Upah and TUC Secretary General Nuhu Toro, organised labour argued that the court injunction was directed at specific individuals and not the unions themselves.
The unions further insisted that the strike would continue until the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, engages in negotiations with the workers to resolve the dispute.
They accused the FCTA of relying on legal measures rather than dialogue to address the grievances of workers, describing such an approach as counterproductive.
While details of the workers’ demands were not fully outlined in the latest statement, JUAC has previously cited issues bordering on welfare, entitlements and administrative decisions affecting staff across the FCT.
As the strike persists, concerns are mounting over its broader implications, particularly for basic education and primary healthcare, which are largely accessed by low-income residents.
Education stakeholders warn that prolonged school closures could worsen learning gaps, especially for pupils in public schools who already face challenges such as overcrowded classrooms and limited resources.
Health experts, meanwhile, caution that the shutdown of primary health centres could expose communities to preventable health risks, particularly pregnant women, children and the elderly.
Despite the growing public pressure, there were no indications on Friday that negotiations had resumed between the FCTA and the striking unions.
With both sides holding firm positions, residents fear that the impasse may continue, further disrupting essential services in the nation’s capital.
