The organized labour in Nasarawa State has suspended the strike action embarked upon by workers in the state as government agrees to their demands.
This was disclose on Monday by the chairman, Nasarawa state council of the Nigeria Labour Congress, comrade Iya Sarki during the dialogue meeting between the Union and government of Nasarawa state at the government house, Lafia.
In his personal letter to Governor Sule, Rt. Hon. Davematics E. Ombugadu
Candidate, PDP 2019 Governorship Election,
Nassarawa State said “I write as a concerned citizen and leader of thought in our state, in view of the threat by the Nasarawa State chapter of organized labour comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to shutdown the state via an indefinite strike action.
I profoundly sympathize with the state workers because despite the series of agreements reached with the state government to offset the backlog of workers promotion allowance since 2011 till date, totalling ten years, nothing has been done except continuous empty promises. At a time of high inflation and worsening standard of living, this cannot be said to be fair to our workers who constitute the engine room of the state’s economy, and the driving force of prosperity.
Despite their hardwork, commitment and devotion to duty, workers in our state’s public sector have been owed arrears since the past 13-14 years. This calamity is further accentuated by a situation where there is no promotion allowances, no annual increment, and no staff training. Workers in the state who were employed since 2011 are still receiving same salary with nothing being added till date. This is unfortunate.
The NLC Boss in Nasarawa stats Comrade iya said , “We here by after signing this agreement declare that the strike action is hereby suspended with effect from today Tuesday 5thJuly, 2021, we call on all members of the union TUC to all go back to their offices as from tomorrow 6th July 2021 without hesitation.”
Speaking after the signing of the memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the governor of Nasarawa State Engr Abdullahi Sule expressed happiness with the Organises labour having agreed to resolve the grey areas prior to the signing of the document.
“The chairman of the NLC had said today is one of his happiest days for the reason been that he believed that salary that AA Sule refused to pay will be suspended, today I think that is one of his greatest happiness.”
He also appreciated the the Deputy Governor Dr. Emmanuel Akabe who is the chairman of the committee and all other committee members for going through all they did in other to get to the first agreement that was almost signed.
” I appreciated the committee to have come that far with the agreement Without that negotiation probably we would not have been here when honourable wadada visited.” he stated.
Sule also thanked the traditional leaders in the state for their words of wisdom in been part of the whole process
” I want to at this moment show great appreciation to our royal fathers especially the emir of lafia that picked it upon themselves when the crisis started, between the government and Organised labour.’
The governor further emphasised the need for communication, noting that there was a communication gap adding that when the crisis started he was not around.
“When the crisis started I was not even around and there was also a break down in communication.”
He quoted Abraham Lincon saying “a house divided by his own can not stand and for that reason we have to go back to the drawing board.”
Sule however, appreciate the workers and the good people of Nasarawa state for their patient with government stressing that he would continued to give to the people of Nasarawa state the dividends of democracy.
OBSERVERS TIMES earlier reported 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.
