The rally organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kaduna state which is a continuation of the ongoing five-day warning strike in the state to protest Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s sacking of workers in the state was on Tuesday highjacked by thugs.
The rally was held at the NEPA roundabout, Ahmadu Bello Way area of the state, where the organized labour was addressing the workers of their intention to ensure that El-Rufai reinstates the sacked workers.
Earlier in their address, the affiliate unions expressed their support for the NLC in its struggle. They lamented the action of the Governor for not following the down process of relieving the workers of their jobs and resolved that they would not surrender until their demands were met.
The organized labour explained that failure of the state governor to meet their demands, would lead to a nationwide strike to bring sanity in the workforce across the country.
The NLC is accusing governor El-Rufai of sacking 21,770 Kaduna State Primary school teachers sacked since 2017 and over 30,000 workers disengaged through competency tests and are yet to receive their benefits.
The organized labour is also accusing the Governor of recently sacking 7,310 Local Government Employees, 3,000 civil servants and 1,700 Primary Healthcare Board workers in the state.
It lamented that about 20,000 workers are yet to be paid April salary, while over 11,000 civil servants are currently penciled for disengagement and conversion to casual and contract workers.
The state governor was also accused of prolonged and tortuous verification of Pensioners and non payment of pensions for over four months.
According to NLC, “Intimidation and harassment of workers to contract out of the Union; non-remittance of statutory check off dues to Trade Unions; workforce reduction in gross violation of workers and extant provisions of Labour Laws.”
Meanwhile, the Kaduna state government in it’s response has likened the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to bandits terrorising the north-west region.
This was made known by Muyiwa Adekeye, the governor’s spokesperson.
Muyiwa in a statement on Tuesday, accused the union of sabotage and lawlessness.
He said the government will dismiss nurses below grade level 14, and academic staff members of the Kaduna State University (KASU) who are participating in the strike action.
In his words: “Efforts to dress up criminal activity as industrial action do not change the reality of the lawbreaking that has unfolded, including their persistently ignoring the prohibition against impeding essential services.
Also, KDSG cannot ignore the illegal pressures brought to disrupt the operations of banks and other private businesses whose staff and customers do not have any industrial dispute with the state or any other government,” the statement reads.
“KDSG acknowledges doctors and some other categories of health workers that are trying to run public health facilities, but regrets that some nurses have joined the unlawful strike and engaged in sabotage of some of our health facilities. Nurses were implicated in the forceful discharge of patients in many health facilities.
“The Ministry of Health will dismiss all nurses below GL14 for going on an unlawful strike. Salaries that could have gone to them are to be given as extraordinary occupational allowances to the health workers who are at their duty posts to fill the gap of those absconding from duty. The Ministry of Health has been directed to advertise vacancies for the immediate recruitment of new nurses to replace those dismissed.
“Any academic staff of KASU that does not report for work will be dismissed. The authorities of KASU are to submit a copy of the attendance register for all categories of staff daily to the Secretary to the State Government and the Commissioner of Education.
“All MDAs are also to submit daily copies of attendance register to the Head of Service.
“KDSG views the actions of the NLC as equivalent to the actions of the bandits kidnapping and menacing our citizens. Bandits illegally use arms, but the NLC is deploying mob action for exactly the same ends: trying to hold hostage the freedoms, economic interests, livelihoods and resources of the people of Kaduna State. He added.
He also pointed out that it is a vain expectation that the Kaduna government will respond differently to sets of “unlawful actions” that have the same ends.
He added that it is a vain expectation that the Kaduna government will respond differently to sets of “unlawful actions” that have the same ends.
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