Kogi State: Workers resume indefinite strike

Following the expiration of the seven working days strike notice issued to the Kogi State Government Thursday September 21, 2017 and consequent upon the failure of government to meet their demands, organized labour in Kogi State has directed workers to resume their earlier suspended indefinite strike today, Friday September 22, 2017.

Our Kogi State Correspondent reports that the unions comprising the Joint session of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Public Service Joint Negotiating Council (PSJBC), noted that the strike is the only life line left for workers in Kogi State to negotiate their survival in the hands of the present administration.

Announcing the strike Thursday September 21, the TUC Chairman in Kogi State, Ranti Ojo said “never in the history of our State has civil servants recorded the massive hunger, induced death as being witnessed currently, not to talk of trauma, anguish, pains, sickness, penury, truncation of children's education, huge unsettled house rent/ medical bill etc that workers and pensioners are currently experiencing. We must rise against this now or never.”

He noted that the government white paper on the screening exercise being currently implemented is aimed at achieving massive retrenchment of workers precisely all those in the directorate cadre and civil servants that have 5 years and below to retire. This according to Ojo has already started with permanents secretaries.

The union while expressing their resolve to remain committed in their demands as contained in their letter sent to the Kogi State Government dated  September 13, 2017 direct all workers in the State Civil Service to stay away from government offices, establishment, institutions and facilities.

It also urged civil servant to ignore and discountenance all threat, intimidations, blackmail from government quarters, stressing that the escapades if tyrants can only be checked by courage, perseverance and resoluteness.

“All Muslims civil servants are to pray in their respective mosques on Friday September 22, 2017 and Christians civil servants to pray in their churches on Sunday September 24, 2017, for God to protect our labour leaders and the entire workers in the course of this struggle.

General Public and the entire workers are also enjoined to pray earnestly and consistently for God to rescue Kogi Workers and our dear State. Comrade remain calm, law abiding and prayerful, but prepared to stay at home for eternity if it takes the government eternity to meet all our demands”, Ojo added.

Meanwhile, the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Onoh Edoka while fielding questions from journalists on the strike, dared the State Government to sack workers who complies with the industrial action.

According to him, Kogi State civil servant has suffered enough in the hands of the current administration, pointing out that there will be no sabotage on the strike.

“Workers will surely comply on the strike because it was their decision for us to resume it. I besiege you journalist to go round tomorrow and see for your self. All government offices will be shot down".

Edoka also described as laughable the rumour making the round that the Kogi State Government has the intension to proscribe labour unions in the State.

“When I heard the information, I described it as the joke of the century. I believe his legal adviser have told him that what he did to KSU lecturers was one of the greatest mistake he made as the Chief Executive of this State. He cannot proscribe NLC, TUC and other union because they all belong to the exclusive list”, the NLC Chairman Stated.

Meanwhile, the President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Comrade Tade Adeyemi, the Union of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, has issued a seven day ultimatum, commencing from September 20, 2017 to the Kogi State government to meet their demands or join the strike called by their sister unions in the State.

According to Comrade Tade Adeyemi, local government workers will join the strike September 27, 2017, if the State government fails to meet their demands.

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