Organised Labour Shutdown Government Activities in Nasarawa as It commences Indefinite Strike
Rabiu Omaku
- Demands For Autonomy Of Tertiary Institutions, Implementation Of CONMESS
The organized Labour in Nasarawa state has embarked on an indefinite strike demanding for the implementation of corrected salaries for tertiary institutions in the state, the impasse followed the expiration of its roundtable talk with the state Government.
The strike action embarked by workers at both state and Local Government level pressing home quantum of their demands has paralyzed Government businesses and activities. The office of the Secretary to the State Government which housed over seven ministries, including the Nasarawa State Broadcasting Service joined the strike.
Government and economic activities were grounded to a halt, in a press statement made available to our reporter said release of bulletin No 2, and the 7-day ultimatum which was given to the state Government by the organized Labour to address all the demands of workers of the which expires on Thursday 28th-01-2016.
The leaders of organized labour affirmed that nothing positive was achieved in respect of demands of Nasarawa state workers, another meeting was again convened by the office of the Deputy Governor, yet there was no positive result, the organized Labour called on workers in the state to remain in their homes till further notice.
The twenty one demands of the organized labour include; 1.The implementation of corrected CONMESS for doctors. 2. Review of high deductions in health sector and tertiary institutions in the state. 3. The NLC also demanded that the state Government should accredit all programmes in all tertiary institutions in the state including the School of Nursing and Midwifery. 4. Subvention to tertiary institutions. 5. The union demanded that the state Government should grant autonomy to the other three existing Tertiary Institutions. 6 Sixty-five years of service as retirement age for non-teaching staff of tertiary institutions in the state. 7. Implementation of professional allowances and its accrued arrears to all deserving workers. 8. The Union also demanded that Government should release claims to beneficiaries of the 500 Housing Units along Doma road, Lafia. 9. Release reports of the biometric data captured exercise in both state and Local Government.
Others are 10.Paymentvof backlog of gratuities and arrears of pension to retired workers of the state and Local Government service and all other issues related to payments of pension. 11. The organized Labour also demanded for the immediate payment of four months arrears on the implementation of the N18, 000 new minimum wages. 12. The immediate release of salary vouchers for the month of January, 2016 and payment of salaries to workers. They also demanded for Payment of annual increments from 2011 to 2016
The organized labour are also pressing home that the state Government should stop the re-screening, grading and regarding of Government Employees forthwith. They also requested the stoppage of salary payment in percentage to workers at Local Government level. There should be Payment of leave /transport grant to all workers in the state.
Workers are also pressing for payment of in-service allowances to deserving workers, and centralization of all union dues deductions in the Local Government. and full autonomy to Judiciary.
The strike action was jointly signed by Abdullahi Adeka, State chairman of NLC, Mohammed Umar Doma—TUC Secretary, Comrade Namo Danladi Sabo-TUC chairman, JNC Comrade Sule Ode Usman-chairman.
