Striking Nasarawa workers defy Gov. Al-Makura’s threat of sack

Organised labour unions in Nasarawa State, Monday, directed state and local government workers to disregard the threat by Governor Tanko Al-Makura to sack any worker who did not resume work.
“The strike we started on July 4 is indefinite; disregard the call by the government to resume work on Monday, July 11,” leaders of the workers unions said in a statement issued on Sunday in Lafia.
The statement was jointly signed by the Chairman of the State’s chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr Abubakar Adeka, and the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Mr Danladi Sabo-Namo.
The workers embarked on indefinite strike on July 4 to protest the decision of the government to cut down their salaries by 50 per cent.
It would be recalled that Al-Makura, Saturday, threatened to recruit fresh graduates to replace workers in the state currently on strike over non-payment of their salary.
The governor issued the threat in Nasarawa Eggon at the celebration of the 35th coronation anniversary of Aren Eggon, Dr Bala Angbazo.
He, however, appealed to the workers to return to work, recalling that the state was among the first in the country to implement the N18,000 minimum wage in 2011.
“I want to appeal to the striking workers to go back to work as the decision by the state government to review their salary downward was a result of dwindling economy.
“It is also caused by the fall in the price of crude oil and declining allocation from the Federation Account.
“The state government will take stock of attendance of striking workers that return to work and invite applications from graduates in order to replace those still on strike,” the governor said.
He explained that the downward review of the workers’ salary was to accommodate other sectors of the economy as well as develop infrastructure in the state.