Author: Gist Correspondent

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the ruling of the National Industrial Court (NIC) suspending the ongoing strike by workers of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), insisting that the decision will not dampen the resolve of aggrieved workers.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, the Congress expressed disappointment over the court’s order halting the industrial action and adjourning the substantive suit to March 25, 2026, without addressing what it described as persistent violations of labour laws by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The NLC urged FCT workers to remain steadfast, stressing that justice must be seen to be done in all labour disputes.

While acknowledging that judicial decisions may not always satisfy all parties, the Congress faulted the court for allegedly failing to pronounce on statutory breaches against workers, particularly the non-remittance of National Housing Fund (NHF) and pension deductions.

According to the NLC, failure to remit NHF deductions constitutes an offence under the law, attracting fines ranging from ₦50,000 to ₦100 million, as well as possible jail terms for responsible officials.

The Congress also referenced the Pension Reform Act 2014 (as amended), which mandates employers to remit pension deductions within seven working days, warning that defaults attract penalties of up to 24 per cent per annum.

The statement further accused the Minister of the FCT of worsening the situation by allegedly issuing threats of dismissal to workers shortly after the court ruling.

“There are other violations by the Minister, the FCT and the FCTA which we elected not to mention,” the statement said.

The NLC described the court’s failure to grant even what it termed “tokenistic injunctive relief” as unfair to workers, adding that the long adjournment and denial of relief were damaging to their cause.

It argued that the minister’s alleged threats of sack had further poisoned the atmosphere, making meaningful dialogue difficult.

“If the intention of the court is to break the strike and weaken the resolve of the injured workers, then it is mistaken. Our hearts can never be broken,” the Congress declared, urging workers to remain resolute.

The NLC also warned of the dangers of judicial actions that, in its view, undermine public confidence in the justice system.

It placed institutions, organisations and individuals violating the provisions of the Pension Reform Act and National Housing Fund Act on notice, vowing to engage them decisively.

The Congress concluded by urging workers and its affiliates to remain on high alert to ensure the enforcement of its position, stressing that its warnings should not be taken lightly.