Spread the love
The organised Labour in Kogi State yesterday vowed to continue with its strike action despite what it called “propaganda and cheap blackmail” by the state government against the union.
The union in a statement jointly signed by the state Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Faniyi Olakunle and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Mr James Kolawole, enjoined workers to remain steadfast in the face of the present challenges they are going through.
The organised Labour described as unfortunate the use of “faceless organizations and bodies by the state government to embark on fruitless mission”, noting that the issues on ground were too obvious to be swept away by gimmicks being employed to twist facts.
Labour, in the statement maintained that the present administration in the state has through its various programmes and policies shown that “it has little or no regards for the civil service and welfare of workers”.
It also accused the state government of wasteful spending at a time when scarce resources ought to be managed prudently for the benefit of the people.
While commending workers in the state for their “firm believe and abiding faith in the union”, Labour appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to prevail on the government to call the union to the negotiation table for resolution of the ongoing face off.
But the state government speaking through the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the governor, Abdulmalik Abdulkareem, said the allegation of Labour is ‘unfounded’, noting that the union embarked on the strike out of ‘mischief and malice’. He maintained that payment of workers’ salaries is going on at the moment in the state.
“The strike by Labour has failed woefully. Genuine workers are going to work and government is taking record of them. Labour has upturned the overall interests of workers. The labour leaders are crying foul because their hands are not clean”, he said.
He challenged the organised Labour to justify the allegation of reckless spending against the state government by presenting facts and figures.
Credit: Itodo Daniel Sule/Daily Trust
Spread the love
