By Oso Abidemi
As the strike by health and education workers in the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), enters its fourth month, civil society groups are calling for urgent government intervention to end the deadlock.
In an open appeal, over 40 civil society organisations and concerned individuals urged FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Area Council Chairmen, and National Assembly members representing the FCT to immediately engage the striking workers in dialogue and resolve their grievances.
“True leadership means rising to protect our children, the sick, and the poor,” the statement read.
The coalition, under the banner of the FCT Civil Society Organisations Accountability Mechanism Network (FCT-CAM), warned of long-term damage to the FCT’s health and education sectors if the strike persists.
They called on Area Council leaders to prioritise citizen welfare over politics and urged lawmakers to use their legislative powers to push for lasting solutions.
“This is no longer an administrative issue; it’s a test of our collective conscience,” they said, warning that every day of inaction further endangers lives and deepens inequality.
Thousands of children remain out of school, and public frustration is growing.
The groups described the continued service paralysis as “an unacceptable mortgage on the FCT’s future.”
Signatories to the appeal include CSACEFA, Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC), Basic Rights Watch, Centre for Accountability and Inclusive Development, and HEARD Africa.
