The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said it will shut down business and commercial activities in Kaduna on Thursday to protest the mass sack of teachers by the Kaduna State government.
President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba told journalists at press conference on Tuesday in Abuja
Wabba said the state governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, on 3rd January, 2018, in obvious disregard and abuse of the existing court ruling and the legal process, issued letters of disengagement to thousands of teachers and back dated them to November 3rd, 2017.
Wabba said further that no fewer than 36, 000 workers comprising of 4, 000 local government workers 8, 000 workers from various MDAs have been sacked since he commence sacking workers in the state
He described the actions of el-Rufai as “ totally inhuman and economically illogical, and not worth venturing into,”
According to him, the governor’s action was a clear violation and abuse of the tenets and provisions of Nigeria labour laws, and other well known international best practices which were capable of exacerbating social tensions and societal ills in the state.
While condemning the abuse of the reconciliation process at the National Industrial Court on December 4, 2017, which had ordered that all process of sack be put on hold till the case was decided, the NLC pledged it’s commitment within the provision of the law to defend the interest of workers in Kaduna State.
He explained that , “Immediately after the New Year on 3rd January, 2018, the elected Governor of Kaduna State, in obvious disregard and fragment abuse of the existing court ruling and the legal process, issued letters of disengagement to thousands of teachers and back dated them to November 3rd, 2017 ostensibly to circumvent the court order.
“This perfidy is not only irresponsible and unbecoming of a governor elected under the revered Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but a criminal act and an affront to the well cherished principles of law and natural justice. “Our concerns, and indeed those of well-meaning Nigerians include the illegal and unacceptable processes employed by the Governor and their direct impact on thousands of dependents of 36,000 workers and their families thrown in one fell swoop into the unemployment market.
