By DAVID ADUGE-ANI

The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the FCT has directed the Gwagwalada Area Council branch of the union to shut down the council secretariat, as well as all clinics and primary health centres in the council, over alleged non-payment of three months’ minimum wage arrears owed to some members.

President of NULGE in the FCT, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Kabi, confirmed the shutdown while speaking with our correspondent via telephone.

He said the union issued the directive due to the continued delay by the council authorities in paying the three months’ arrears to both council and health workers—even after funds had been released by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

According to Kabi, the FCT Minister released the funds two weeks ago, yet the council has only disbursed one month’s arrears to a few staff through selected banks, contrary to the minister’s directive.

“In fact, only a few selected council staff and health workers received alerts from their banks. And these few staff and workers—some were paid only one month instead of three months as directed by the minister,” he claimed.

Kabi added that the drastic measure was intended to serve as a deterrent to other area council chairmen who might also fail to pay outstanding arrears.

“Yes, we gave the directive this morning—Thursday—that the Gwagwalada Area Council secretariat and all the clinics be shut down with immediate effect until both staff and workers’ three months’ arrears are paid in full, so that it will also serve as a deterrent to other area councils,” he said.

Meanwhile, our correspondent, who spoke with some staff of the area council, confirmed the NULGE president’s position.

Mr. Yakubu Musa, a council staff member, said it was unfortunate that while some staff were paid one month’s arrears, others received two months instead of the full three months.

“You can imagine that the money was released to pay both area council and health workers their new minimum wage arrears, but up till this moment, I am talking to you, the majority of us have not been paid, while only a few staff got one month and some two months instead of three months as directed by the minister,” he claimed.

A health worker, Isaac Jacob, also said he had yet to receive his arrears, even though other area councils had begun payments.

“That is why, after we waited patiently without seeing any sign from the area council about the payment of our arrears, the state NULGE directed that all the clinics and health centres be shut down,” he said.

The chairman of the council, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri, could not be reached for comment as his phone was not reachable at the time of filing this report.

Recall that the union had on July 14, 2025, suspended its three-month strike after the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, released funds for the payment of arrears to both primary school teachers and area council workers.