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From Abel Leonard, Lafia
The leadership of the Nigeria labour congress and Trade union in the state has ones again dare the governor of Nasarawa state Engr. Abdullahi Sule insisting the on going strike action embarked upon by workers in the state is a no going back situation and the union will fight till the end.
This was disclosed on Tuesday by the Chairman of the Nasarawa state council of the both Unions Yusuf Sarki Iya and Mohammed Doma at the labour house, Makurdi road, Lafia the state capital.
Comrade Iya said it is a forward ever backward never approach adding that the congress becomes necessary to enrich our members with information of concerning their progress in the discussion with government and how they would not succumb to any intimidation form the government.
Iya said for as long as government had refused to remove the clause he called “Satanic” workers will continue to stay at home, saying they will not sign the agreement until that clause is removed
On the issue of compliance, The Chairman said “we went round yesterday and virtually all the offices are locked”
Reacting to the no work no pay he said “May be the government is not aware of the law, the law of payment of wages says that anybody who works for 15 days is entitled to his salary so we are not afraid and we have worked for those days before embarking on the strike action”.
“I can’t imaging the government saying anybody who goes to sign register for only a day his salary would be paid to him against those that worked for 15 days. That is controversy, sounds controversial”. He stated.
Comrade Iya further said in the coming weeks, the Union will be mobilising its members to stage a procession to match round the street of lafia as a way of solidarity.
On his part, the TUC chairman, Comrade Mohammed Doma Explaind that the clause is controversial because it is tied to a certain figure having the knowledge that the state subvention is not up to 4b.
” I can count number of times that the government had up to four billion just three times by the time you tie it to this agreement we have mortgaged our future, anything we are demanding and ones that money is not available then we can’t say anything and the promotion will not be implemented”.
The TUC boss however, emphasized strongly that government has other means to pay workers stressing in the internally Generated Revenue IGR saying it is a thing of sincerity.
He said “government met last Friday, in their communiqué they said they are ready to remove the clause why have they not call us for a meeting g so we would sign the agreement”.
Comrade Mohammed Added that the world is aware that the the government said they are ready to expunge the clause delaying the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) means government is not sincere or ready for that reason, the strike is still on no retreat no surrender.” He lamented.
Recall that Daily Sun Report that on Friday 25th June 2021, the committee set up by the state government had explained that government is not opposing to the removal of the clause in
dispute, but that it will not hesitate to revert to the present salary template on the event of “substantial shortfall” from the Federation
Accounts Allocation to the State.
Daily Sun also report that the Nasarawa state council of Nigeria labour congress and Trade Union Congress had embarked on an indefinite strike on the 15th of June, 2021, making demands which includes, partial implementation of minimum wage without recourse to due process of collective bargaining, lack of implementation of promotions since 2008 among others.
