El-Rufai remains adamant as NLC strike grounds kaduna

 • The labour unions had declared the strike action as a way of compelling Governor Nasir El-Rufai to reverse the recent mass sack of civil

 • Members of affiliated labour unions led by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, during a procession to protest what they described as Governor Nasir El-Rufai's anti-labour policies

 • Kaduna State Governor, El-Rufai has declared President of the Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Ayuba Wabba wanted

The first day of a 5-day warning strike embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kaduna State, recorded mass disruption of economic and social activities as banks, schools, hospitals, railways and other essential services remained shut.

The state also recorded the second day of blackout yesterday since electricity supply was cut off in the early hours of Sunday.

The labour unions had declared the strike action as a way of compelling Governor Nasir El-Rufai to reverse the recent mass sack of civil servants in the state.

At least 14 affiliated unions of the NLC including the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the National Union of Electricity Employees of Nigeria (NUEE), National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE), the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers among others joined the procession of the strike, which started from NLC secretariat in Kaduna at 7 am chanted solidarity songs, displaying placards with various inscriptions.

Train services suspended at the Rigasa train station in Kaduna in compliance with the strike

Other unions that joined the procession include the National Association of Nurses and Midwives, Aviation workers Union, Construction Union, National Union of Local Government Employees among others.

The aviation unions under the aegis of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals (ANAP) were also part of the strike action.

Enforcement officers of the unions had locked up the gates of Kaduna State secretariat as well as other premises housing civil servants including the Obasanjo House on Monday morning.

The secretariat was later forced open by security agencies even though civil servants, who were caught between the fears of disobeying the government or the labour unions, only loitered about.

There was heavy security presence at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House on Monday as Daily Trust observed men of the Police Operation Yaki units, soldiers, Kaduna State Vigilante Service (KADVIS) and the Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC) were deployed at the main gate of the Government House.

Addressing members of the unions at the NLC secretariat, the National President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, emphasised that there will be no retreat nor surrender by the organised labour to ensure their demands are acceded to by the governor.

“The decision has been communicated to all security agencies of the government. It is the beginning of the struggle of labour and we hope our politicians will cooperate with us to ensure we protect our democracy by delivering its dividends to the citizens including workers.”

Wabba disclosed that more than 90 per cent of Nigerians are living in abject poverty, which was why insecurity and other social vices have increased in the country.

According to him: “Organised labour is in Kaduna to tell the world the truth of what the workers, pensioners, students and other citizens in the state are going through besides the lies being peddled by media platforms on El-Rufai’s payroll.

“The situation of the workers in the state is so pathetic that thousands of them have been laid off from their sources of livelihood without the state government making any effort to pay them their entitlements.

“Worst still, El-Rufai has gone further to increase school fees in public state school thereby making the children of those sacked from their working place without payment to become dropouts.”

The labour leader lamented that workers in the state were being sacked from their jobs without following due process, adding that no constituted labour union was contacted by Governor El-Rufai before taking the action.

“It is only Kaduna State out of the other states in the country that throws workers out of their jobs without any regards for the labour law and that is why we are here,” he said.

He explained that political elites are elected to respect the law of the land and uphold the provisions of the land, lamenting, “Here, we have a governor that is not respecting the law but violating the law with impunity.

“He has sacked thousands of workers in the state. Over 20,000 workers in the state have not been paid their April salary.

“The unfortunate downsizing of workforce in Kaduna State was not done in accordance with the statutory Labour law, with the keen examination of its activities from 2017 till date, over 50, 000 workers were affected.”

Our correspondent reports that the procession of affiliated labour unions led by the NLC president marched through Independence Way to the Kaduna State House of Assembly chanting solidarity songs but they met a deserted House of Assembly.

The procession caused heavy traffic gridlock as motorists pushed their way through the crowd to get to their destinations.