Strike: Residents decry disruption of basic services at FCT council

Residents of Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have decried the disruption of basic services in public schools and primary healthcare centers following an ongoing strike by local government workers.

Speaking in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), residents described the situation as distressing, noting that the shutdown has worsened the hardship for families who depend on public facilities.

The FCT Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) directed its members to commence an indefinite strike on Tuesday, January 27.

The union explained that the action is in solidarity with workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over unpaid entitlements and outstanding promotions.

Mrs. Aisha Babale, a local resident, shared her struggle after taking her sick baby to a community primary healthcare center, only to find it shuttered.

‘’I couldn’t do anything; I just broke down crying because I didn’t know where else to turn, and we have no money for private hospitals,” she said, adding ‘’I just wanted them to test my baby for malaria and typhoid, but they said the staff were unavailable. This is getting exhausting. I pray they pity the masses and resolve these issues with the government soon.”

Another resident, Mr. Luka Malo, expressed frustration over the failure of the local government—the tier closest to the people.

‘“When the councils stop working, the people feel it immediately. It is not as if we even had prompt services in the first place, but stopping them totally is unfair to the communities,” Malo said.

Mr. Theophilus Shemang, a public servant, warned that prolonged disruption could erode public trust in government institutions.

He recalled a previous strike that disrupted an entire school term, forcing public school pupils to resume classes while their private school peers were already on holiday.

He urged the FCTA to urgently engage union leaders to prevent further hardship for children and vulnerable groups.

However, the Bwari NULGE leader, Mr. Emmanuel Ishaku, told NAN there is currently no official timeline for suspending the industrial action.

He stressed that workers remain committed to pressing their welfare demands and are uncertain when services will resume.

A NAN correspondent who visited the council secretariat observed that the institution was operating at skeletal levels, with most administrative services suspended.

Many public-school gates remained shut, forcing pupils to stay home and further widening the learning gap within the community. (NAN)

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