Niger Workers Embark On Indefinite Strike, Offices and Schools Shut Down
Workers In Niger state on Wednesday, 21st February 2024, embarked on indefinite strike action.
Following the strike, Niger state civil servants did not report to work, students were sent back home, court proceedings were suspended, and offices remained closed with locked doors and gates.
Reporters who went round some of the government offices and public schools, report that offices were all under lock and key, while workers who were still hanging around said that the NLC officials went round at 8 am to lock the gates.
“They sent everyone out, especially those who were already in office. Others who had not resumed met the gates locked when they arrived at the office”, one of the workers at the Niger state Secretariat told the reporter.
Students who stayed in the hostel of the College of Education, Minna were sent home as the gates of the institution were shut by the enforcement team of the NLC.
The Niger State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had on Monday announced that the workers would be embarking on an indefinite strike action following a deadlock in negotiations with the Niger State Government Committee.
The union said that the government failed to address their demands in a previous ultimatum letter.
The announcement of the strike was signed by Niger State NLC Chairman, Comrade Idrees Lafene, and the state Chairman of TUC, Comrade Ibrahim Gana.
The letter stated that the strike would start from 8 am on Wednesday, February 21, until their demands are comprehensively met.
The Nation learnt that the Labour leaders shunned a meeting for dialogue called by the Niger state government to avert the strike action.
A statement by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman on Tuesday expressed its readiness to dialogue and amicably address demands of labour in the best interest of the State.
The government had called for a meeting on Tuesday at 2pm, but it was learnt that no Labor leaders showed up.
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The organized labour, in a letter addressed to the Niger State government through the office of the Secretary to State Government and jointly signed by the State Chairman of the NLC, Idris Lafene, and State Chairman of the TUC, Ibrahim Gana, said the industrial action would last until government resolved all the outstanding disputes between it and the organized labour.
The labour had asked the state government to reverse all political appointments as Executive Directors of Finance, Operations and Administration in agencies.
It also asked the government to reverse the appointments of Chairmen, members and Permanent Commissioners of Local Government Service Commission and Civil Service Commission, as well as appointments of Directors General of some agencies.
Other demands include “a clear statement by the government on payment of wage award.”
The organized labour warned the state government against appointment of civil servants that are not qualified as Permanent secretaries, while asking the government to withdraw the appointment of a Vice Principal on secondment as Permanent Secretary to allow for career progression from within.
The organized labour also warned the state government to desist from victimizing teachers and members of the educational sector following the recent primary school’s debate in Agaie which the government alleged a pupil to have used vulgar and violent language against the federal government.
The Strike Notice Letter read in part:
“We wish to formally inform the government that effective 8am on Wednesday, the 21st February, 2024, Niger State workers shall commence an indefinite strike action until our demands are comprehensively met”.
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