BY AHMED TUKUR LAFIA – A seeming conspiracy of silence is playing out in Nasarawa state as major stakeholders and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are keeping mute over threats by workers in the state to embark on an industrial action over long-standing labour issues.
Already, the State Council of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Coalition of Nasarawa State Health Professionals Association (CNSHPA) have issued separate statements on their resolve to embark on the strike action if urgent action is not taken by the state government.
While the state NLC is agitating for implementation of long overdue promotions for workers, the CNSHPA is demanding for arrears and the unbundling of stagnated promotions for their members.
Unfortunately, the ruling party and most stakeholders, including the State lawmakers, seem unperturbed by the threat and have so far not made any move aimed at dousing the mounting tension in the State.
Competent sources said the state of things is quite disturbing as the State governor, Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule looks to be left alone with no stakeholders’ voice openly out in his defence or engaging the aggrieved workers for an amicable resolution of the issues at stake.
Noting that the state is being adorned with posters and billboards of continuity beyond 2023 by various groups and associations, the sources why there are no moves and plea by these supporters to save the governor and the State from going the rout of an avoidable strike.
For now, even government spokespersons and policy makers have refused to make official comments on the looming strike while the workers’ threat subsist.
In the last few months, Governor Sule has continued to host dozens of groups and associations that are praising him for his good works in the State.
Governor Sule, who began paying the minimum wage for Civil servants on Grade level 1- 6 from May 2023, has kept his pledge of 100 per cent salary payment since assuming office.
However, in the present circumstance, even his party, the APC has remained aloof without making meaningful moves to intervene and avert the strike capable of strangulating the government and disrupting economic activities in the North Central state.
Insiders in the Labour Movement acknowledged that though the state government inherited all the problems being highlighted by the aggrieved workers, it is still expected that action must be taken to address their plight.
Amid the Union’s threats, there are outcry from some section of the society that over 70 per cent of political appointees have no schedules of duty and therefore have no business being catered for with tax payers money.
