Nasarawa LG Health Workers Begin 7 Day Warning Strike As COVID-19 Takes Toll On the State

BY AHMED TUKUR, LAFIA – Local Government Health workers at the boarder entry point of
Nasarawa state have withdrawn their services and joined other local government staff on a one week warning strike.
The Local Government health personnel who were deployed to assist in examining the health status of passenger and other travelers coming into the state left their duty post thereby creating anxiety across the state.
This is even as the state has recorded 12 positive cases in one week with one of the State House of Assembly lawmaker surrendering to the CPVID-19 pandemic and with the possibility of more testing positive as samples of over a hundred people that came in contacted with the late lawmaker that were taken to Abuja are being expected.

A letter dated May 6, 2020 and addressed to the state Governor and copied to all chairman and other stakeholders, said that the  joint trade unions ( NUT, NULGE, MHWUN, NANNM, NUJ, AND NASU) at the state level have no alternative than to declare a 7 day warning strike with effect from May 7 to 14, 2020.
The workers among other things are demanding for Personal Protective Equipment for all health facilities in the state and the stoppage of percentage
payment forthwith at the Local Governments Councils in the state.
“Failure to meet the demand of the worker by payment of the balance of 25 percent and other demands the workers will embark on indefinite
strike action.
“Payment of the balance of 25 percent salaries for the month of March and April thus 50 percent respectively.
“Adequate provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all health facilities in the state.
“Total stoppage of percentage payment of salaries at the Local Government level forthwith.”
The state chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), who is also the Chairman of Lafia of Local Government Council, Muazu Maifata appealed to the workers to accept dialogue as the best option.
Muazu said embarking on strike at this time that the COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the state will be a great disservice to the state and a potent danger as well.
He explained that the shortfall in the revenue accruals to the Councils due to the pandemic was the cause of the percentage payment