Staff members of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, under the Joint Union Action Committee, JUAC, ended their three-day protest on Wednesday.
The FCTA have now issued a fresh 21-day ultimatum, within which their demands must be met.
It was gathered that the FCTA staff members commenced the protest on Monday over non-payment of salaries to staff, the prolonged FCT Primary School Teachers’ strike, and the payment of wage awards to health workers, while demanding the sacking of the Chairman of the FCT Civil Service Commission, Emeka Ezeh.
The demonstration followed a statement issued by the President of JUAC, Rifkatu Iortyer, mobilising affiliate unions to join the three-day protest from Monday, June 30, to Wednesday, July 2, 2025, against the “blatant refusal of the FCT minister to address salient issues affecting staff”.
During the final protest, Iortyer revealed that the union officials met with members of management but staged a walkout due to the management’s failure to address the protesting workers assembled outside the gate.
“Yesterday, we met with management, and because they did not come out to address you, distinguished colleagues, we walked out.
“We told them it is not us alone; we are only leading you, and we are telling them what you have sent us to tell them, and if they cannot come out to talk to all of us that stayed in the rain, and if they did not come out today, we are not hearing them.
“And believe you me, every member of JUAC walked out on management.
“We told them if they want us to hear them, they should come and address us here today. But have they come? Did you see them? Are we stopping?” She asked.
The president stated that the union will follow the laws of the International Labour Organisation and issue a 21-day ultimatum, followed by a 14-day ultimatum, and then a seven-day ultimatum, after which they will take action.
“So, it is on this note that today we must close.
“According to the ILO law for strikes and other industrial actions, now we have protested, and we have made our grievances heard.
“We are going to give them a 21-day ultimatum; we have written the letter; it is with us.
“After that, according to the ILO law again, we will give them 14 days. We have waited 21 days; you’ve not spoken.
“After the 14 days, we will now give them seven days. After those seven days, we will come out again,” Iortyer stated.
She told the workers that the union’s officials would not abandon them and would fight for the cause until it was won, while also expressing hope that management would listen to their demands.
“My sincere prayer is that they hear us. We want them to hear us; that is why we have gathered.
“We pray that God will make them hear us. But still, if they do not hear, we will not chicken out.
“We will do the other thing they are not ready to talk about,” she said.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
