Government says ongoing NLC strike is an act of sabotage

dimeji akinloye

July 1, 2016 10:07 AM

The state government said the strike was uncalled, claiming that the payment of salary arrears of the workers had commenced two weeks ago.

Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), joined by the banks have embarked on the industrial action since Monday, June 27, in protest of government's decision to open salary accounts for workers in Zenith bank, while local government workers were opened in Access bank.

The aggrieved workers are also demanding the payment of their six months salaries and the recall of top government functionaries who were said to have sent off on compulsory leave without any allegation against them.

However, in a statement issued on Thursday, June 30, by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Muhammed Awwal, he said the strike was uncalled, claiming that the payment of salary arrears of the workers had commenced two weeks ago.

“48 MDAs out of the total 55 MDAs have been paid, seven MDAs are yet to be paid because the correct grade levels of the workers are being verified. Salary variations were received from many MDAs for the month of February to April 2016. 14 councils with correct information has been paid, while both local governments and state pensioners will be paid in days," Awwal said.

“Government has the best interest of the civil servants and the entire Kogi State at heart. I assure you that Government is working round the clock to ensure that the remaining civil servants are paid within the coming days.”

The government reaction came after a human rights activists, Abdul Miliki, expressed his support for the workers' strike, calling on the state government to yield to the demands of labour as well as resolve the lingering crisis in the state House of Assembly.

READ: Yahaya Bello, others reconcile warring lawmakers

Miliki said since January 27 that the current administration assumed power, the state has been witnessing series of crisis. He urged the government of the day to change its tactics.

dimeji akinloye