In this interview with Premium
Times’, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Kogi State, Edoka
Onuh, speaks on why civil servants in the state will not call off their
strike now.
Premium Times: The industrial
action in Kogi has lasted for three to four weeks now and nothing has
been done to call it off. What exactly is going on?
Onuh: Strike action is a legitimate means of pressing home workers demands. The workers, under the auspices of the NLC and TUC embarked on an indefinite strike to press for series of demands from the state government. Being the norm and practices globally and nationwide, when workers embarked on strike the next stage is for the two sides to call for meeting and seek for lasting solution.
I can assure you that ever since the
organised labour union in Kogi state embarked on an indefinite strike,
the government in the state hasn’t deem it fit to call us for a meeting
or set up committee to meet with the leadership and discuss on how to
find a lasting solution to the ongoing strike in the state. Governor
Yahaya Bello is yet to show any remorse hence, we must not be tired of
staying at home.
Our stand remains that we ignore
Zenith bank and Access like a leper and our schools are to remain closed
to all activities. Ignore government lies and propaganda, we are
workers not political movements and it is unfortunate that the governor
is treating civil servants like political opponents. The directors and
permanent secretaries have been placed on compulsory leave since
December. Till now, no salaries and nothing and for the offence we don’t
know.
We have a case of workers
intentionally omitted from the screening exercises carried out by the
government. We know of some that have done so many years in services and
ended up being declared ghost workers.
We are not in support of any ghost
activities in the civil service, the organize labour frowned at it, but a
situation where government is carrying out retrenchment and labelling
some of them ghosts and deny them their pay and backlog of salaries is
unjust and unacceptable.
It is unthinkable and unacceptable
that the state government can go to the extent of opening bank accounts
for workers without their permission and signature, next of kin, or
their choice of bank. Government, without any consultation, imposed
Access Bank and Zenith Bank on workers and Access Bank has branch only
in Lokoja, Kogi state’s capital.
The workers across Kogi East, West and
Central have to converge on Lokoja to have access to the state
government’s choice of bank and in the process some of them have been
robbed on the road, kidnapped by kidnappers and died in the road
accident.
The situation is more of slave and servant relationship. The governor
has never invited organized labour union for any dialogue or any trace
of any official communication from the state government to the union
even as at this time of the interview.
Premium Times: Some civil servants
in the state have accused NLC of needlessly extending the industrial
action in spite of government meeting the terms of agreement entered
into with Labour.
Onuh: Who are they? The leadership of organized labour
union were elected. We are not fighting for our own personal interest,
but common goal, common interest of the state workers, though we are
aware of the government’s plans to force the workers back to work with
the instruments of coercion, threat and blackmail and possible weaken
and divide the organize union in the state. But based on the facts that
our stand is known and clear and truth will always prevails, the union
remains one and speaking in one language.
Saying that government has met the
terms is a hoax, a charade and mere propaganda. We have never held any
meeting and so how can he meet our demands? There is no official
communication neither has the governor invited the union for any
dialogue. Saying they have met up with the terms is a sign of hypocrisy
from the side of the government.
Bailout fund is our money. It is
strictly for civil servants. Where is the 20Billion Naira Bailout fund
released to the state? Do they tell? Where is the bailout fund? The
bailout fund was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for the purpose
of settling workers salaries and backlog of arrears. The president has
warned on the diversion of the bailout fund. Today where is Kogi state
bailout fund? The state has been collecting allocation.
Premium Times: Economic activities in the state are witnessing a serious meltdown as a result of this industrial action. What will be the way forward if the strike persists?
Onuh: It is the government that
is supposed to put that into consideration. We are aware of the
economic implication of the strike but we can’t kill ourselves for that
purpose as workers can’t even get transport to their various working
places.
Currently FCMB Bank is in court now
with the state government. The concerned citizens and the civil union
groups in the state have made several appeals to the state government on
the need to have a common ground and resolve this industrial crisis
amicably but we can’t force ourselves to a meeting. We can’t invite him
the governor. He is the father of the state, the chief security officer
of the state and whose duty it is to ensure everything is moving fine
and have the interest of the common man at heart.
But if he chooses to do it the other way round best known to him……..
We call on media house like yours to also join in making this appeal and
inform the government of Kogi state on the implication of a lingering
strike.
Premium Times: It was gathered that
you did not submit your Bank Verification Number (BVN) as part of
government policy to tackle fraud and ghost workers.
Onuh: That is part of
the blackmail we are talking about. I and other leaders submitted Bank
Verification Numbers as requested by the screening committee. I have
mine and I submitted it.
Premium Times: You said the government is blackmailing you and other leaders of the state’s organized labour.
Onuh: Calling it blackmailing
is small. We have received several threats, to my life and that of my
immediate family and others union leaders. As at last three weeks,
pictures of gigantic beautiful duplex was circulated on the social media
by the new media team of the governor that the house belongs to me.
They even went to the extent of informing the people of Kogi state that I
am demanding the sum of N100m from the bailout fund as a requirement
for calling off the strike. It is so amazing and surprising that the
state government has descended and degenerated to that low level and
given me and other leaders of the union a bad name. We are not in any
personal war with the state government, we are only demanding for what
is our right, our entitlement.
Credit: Premium Times
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