“Show some understanding” – Governor Al-Makura to striking Nasarawa Workers

Gov. Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has appealed to striking workers in the state to “show more understanding with the government”. Al-Makura made the appeal Tuesday in Lafia, at the distribution of relief materials to 50 communities affected by various crises:

The workers are supposed to show some understanding because government has made their welfare a priority. Our government has a human face; Nasarawa State was the first to implement the current minimum wage. For four years, we paid the minimum wage without any problem before things became difficult. We expect some understanding.

Workers in the state declared a strike action five weeks ago. Reacting, Ahmed Naibi, NLC Secretary, said that the strike was not just about salary:

A major concern of the workers is government’s refusal to promote workers for more than six years. Aside the non-promotion, workers have not been paid their traditional annual increments and other entitlements for years.

He added that workers were being owed August 2016 salary, a percentage of October 2016 salary, and arrears of January and February 2017:

There is something more heinous – the strike is five weeks old, but government has not engaged the leaders of the union for dialogue.

Naibi thanked workers for the total compliance with the directive to continue to stay at home, and vowed that workers would remain at home until their demands were met