NLC Confronts El-Rufai Frontally, Paralyzes Activities In Kaduna
BY VICTOR BUORO IN KADUNA – In spite of threats and attempts to divide the rank and file of workers by the Kaduna State government, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday in Kaduna mobilised its members to protest what it described as “the anti-workers policies” of Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Accordingly, the protests which witnessed the NLC members and other supporters staged a massive but peaceful protest March along some major roads in Kaduna terminating at the State House of Assembly as part of the commencement of a 5-day warning strike, brought activities to a halt.
The NLC particularly described as “draconian and arbitrary conduct” by Governor El-Rufai in sacking workers in the employ of the state government without recourse to relevant laws, specifically the Labour Act.
The NLC and its affiliate bodies including market women, youths and workers in the private sector led by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, began their peaceful protest procession at about 10:00am from the NLC’s State Secretariat along Golf Course Road, Kaduna.
The workers’ protest that was described as novel and never like it in Kaduna, grounded public and commercial activities as the workers marched through the popular Independence Way, before connecting the Kaduna State House of Assembly.
The well mobilized and united workers carried different handbills with various inscriptions such as; “El-Rufai’s Scorecard: Champion in sacking workers”; “The Tyrant of Kaduna, Allow Workers To Breath”; “Civil Servants Are Not Your Slaves”; “Contracts Awards Should Not Have More Value Than Workers”; and “Workers Deserve Their Wages” among other inscriptions the NLC members listed as part of what they described as injustices against workers in Kaduna State.
The NLC did not leave anything to chance as they applied and got police and other security agencies protection in the peaceful procession that was acclaimed to be successful by industry watchers.
In his address at the Kaduna State House of Assembly, the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said the 5-day warning strike and protest march was initiated following the unilateral sacking of workers in the State by the Governor Nasir El-Rufai-led government without following due process.
Wabba praised presidents and secretaries of various affiliated unions that converged in Kaduna and made the protest a huge success in spite of divisive attempts by the state government.
He said that there was a limit to tolerant by workers, adding that the same politicians that begged for the people’s votes including those of workers must not be allowed to turn around and enslave the same people they begged to serve.
In his words; “If we say that we want to practice democracy, then we must be prepared to follow the rules of democracy and respect democratic ethos. We cannot fold our hands and watch politicians rule like tyrants. Workers are not slaves”.
