“We are not unaware of what is going on in Kaduna State. It is a labour issue which has snowballed into a national strike and picketing by the two labour centres and affiliate unions.”
The federal government says it is concerned with the crisis in Kaduna State between workers and the state government.
The labour minister, Chris Ngige, in a statement Tuesday called on both parties to observe a ‘ceasefire.’
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the two major labour coalitions, NLC and TUC, commenced a one-week total strike in Kaduna on Monday leading to the shutdown of electricity, airports, schools and so on in the state. The workers are opposed to the plan of the state government to sack thousands of workers.
The Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, however, says there is no going back on the ‘rightsizing,’ saying over 90 per cent of the state’s federal allocation is currently being spent on civil servants.
The governor also declared the leaders of the NLC, led by Ayuba Wabba, as fugitives who should be arrested.
“We hope and also pray the Kaduna state Governor not to escalate matters to such a level where it becomes uncontrollable. We also appeal the to the leaders of the labour centres to step down action to make way for discussion,” Mr Ngige said in the Tuesday statement by his office.
FG WADES INTO NLC/KADUNA FACE-OFF; HOPEFUL ON RESOLUTION OF JUSUN STIKE THURSDAY.
The federal government has waded into the national strike and picketing in Kaduna State by the two labour centres, appealing to the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, as well as President of the Trade Union Congress, Qadiri Olaleye, to immediately cease fire.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, made the appeal Tuesday in a statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry, Charles Akpan .
“We are not unaware of what is going on in Kaduna State. It is a labour issue which has snowballed into a national strike and picketing by the two labour centres and affiliate unions.
“We hope and also pray the Kaduna state Governor not to escalate matters to such a level where it becomes uncontrollable. We also appeal the to the leaders of the labour centres to step down action to make way for discussion.