BWARI (FCT): Residents of Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory have lamented the shutdown of public schools and primary healthcare centres following an indefinite strike by local government workers, warning that the action is deepening hardship for already vulnerable families.
The strike, which commenced on Tuesday, January 27, was directed by the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), FCT Chapter, in solidarity with workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over unpaid entitlements and promotion arrears affecting area council staff.
The union said the action followed directives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the NULGE national leadership.
Across Bwari communities, public primary schools remained closed, while primary healthcare centres recorded no activity, leaving residents stranded.
A visit by newsmen to Kuchiko-Bwari showed deserted health facilities and locked school gates, forcing pupils to remain at home and widening learning gaps.
A resident, Mrs Aisha Babale, narrated her ordeal after taking her sick baby to a community health centre, only to discover that services had been suspended.
She said the experience left her distraught, as she lacked the money to seek care at a private hospital.
“I just wanted them to test my baby for malaria and typhoid and give drugs if necessary, but they said the staff were not available. I broke down crying because I didn’t know where else to go,” she said, appealing to the authorities and unions to resolve the impasse quickly.
Another resident, Mr Luka Malo, expressed frustration, noting that area councils, as the closest tier of government to the grassroots, should not be allowed to grind to a halt.
“When the councils stop working, people feel it immediately. Access to health and administrative services becomes impossible. Services were already slow, and now everything has stopped completely. This is unfair to the communities,” he said.
A public servant, Mr Theophilus Shemang, warned that prolonged disruption could weaken grassroots governance and erode public confidence in government institutions.
He recalled that a previous strike led to the loss of an entire school term, forcing pupils in public schools to resume classes when their counterparts in private schools were already on holiday.
He urged the FCT Administration and area council authorities to urgently engage union leaders to avert further hardship, particularly for children and other vulnerable groups.
Speaking with newsmen, the Bwari NULGE Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Ishaku, said there was no official timeline for suspending the strike, stressing that workers were determined to press home their welfare demands.
At the Bwari Area Council Secretariat, operations were observed to be at skeletal levels, with most administrative services suspended, underscoring the growing impact of the industrial action on daily life in the council.
