Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai has accused his counterparts of not giving him the support he deserved in his face-off with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Labour union had crippled economic activities in Kaduna over what they described as anti-people policies of El-Rufai.
In the warning strike called off on day three, protesters trooped to the streets, calling on the governor to reverse the sack of 4,000 workers.
The Progressives Governors Forum advised El-Rufai and labour leaders to return to the negotiation table and stop flexing muscles.
“This is not the time for muscle flexing. Nigerians are already overstretched with many challenges. At this critical point of our democratic journey, there cannot be limits to engagement between all governments and citizens. Every step must be therefore taken to resolve the current face-off between Kaduna state government and NLC. We appeal to both the State Government and NLC to return to the negotiating table,” Kebbi state Governor and PGF Chairman Atiku Bagudu had said.
But at a virtual meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), El-Rufai criticised the NGF, saying the press release was not helpful.
“That press release with the greatest respect was unhelpful. It was unhelpful, it said nothing, it was trying to play both sides. I am a governor, I am one of you, the least I expect from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum is unequivocal and unqualified support. I didn’t see that in that statement. I am being very blunt; I could pretend and be political and just smile and say it was alright but it is not. But I am used to fighting my own battles.
“We are not running a unitary system, we are a federation. We are elected to govern different states, we owe our people accountability not the NLC, we should take a common stand,” he said.
El-Rufai also insinuated that there was a conspiracy against the Kaduna state government.
“If it is about rights of workers Kaduna is not the only state that has retrenched workers, Kaduna is not a state owing salaries, Kaduna is not a state failing to pay minimum wage, Kaduna is not a state owing years of pension arrears. Why didn’t they go there? Kaduna was targeted for political reasons, and they are being financed by certain political interests.
“But we will fight them, we will defeat them but as the governor of Bayelsa said, and since he has brought that subject, I have a responsibility to put it through, unless we collectively address this monster, it will consume all of us.
“After this, they will never come back to Kaduna, they will never come back, you will see. They will go to other states, it’s up to the forum to decide on what to do, but we are here, we are ready, we will end this by the grace of God,” he said.
FG sets up c’ttee
Meanwhile, the meeting at the instance of Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige to resolve the industrial disputes between labour and the Kaduna state government have agreed to set up a 10-member committee.
The committee, according to a Memorandum of Understanding , resolved that membership include Head of Civil Service of Kaduna State as Chairman and five other representatives from the state government and three representative of the NLC.
“The meeting agreed that all the listed issues fall within the ambit of redundancy therefore, it was resolved that the principle of redundancy as stated in section 20 of Labour Act, Cap L 1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) should apply.
“The meeting also recognized that the current impasse was caused by communication gap between the State Government and NLC occasioned by both the local chapter and even the Kaduna State Government Officials.
“In view of the foregoing, the meeting resolved to constitute a ten (10) man Bi-partite Committee comprising six (6) representatives of State Government and three (3) officials of the NLC to engage further with the objective of reverting with a work plan on how to integrate the provision of section 20 of the Labour Act CAP L1 LFN 2004 to resolve the impasse between the State Government and the NLC.
“The meeting also resolved that the Committee should have as Chairman, the Head of Service of the Kaduna State Government and assisted by a Deputy National President of the NLC.
“The Committee is expected to revert with the work plan for peaceful resolution of all issues in contention to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment by Tuesday, 25th May, 2021.
“The work plan is to itemize the structure and sub-structure in the State and Local Government of their activities, time of commencement and envisaged final tenure of the Committee or make recommendations if in its wisdom it thinks the Committee should be a Permanent Standing Committee.
” In conclusion, it was agreed that there shall be no further industrial action on these issues and no worker shall be victimised on account of his or her participation in the industrial action,” the MoU stated.
