Nigeria Labour Congress, Niger state chapter said Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, to resign or quit the seat if he cannot pay the salaries of workers in the state.
This is just as the Governor accused the Organized Labor for being unnecessarily rigid despite knowing the financial and economic status of the state.
The stand of the Union was disclosed to newsmen by the state chairman of NLC, Comrade Idris Yahaya Ndako, after a failed meeting with various stakeholders including the Niger state Jumaat mosque Imams Forum at Labour house in Minna.
“It is baffling for someone who prides himself as a governor and who keeps saying he is a business man to the core. It is not the business of civil servants or Nigerlites to know who he is. Governance is governance and if Mr. Governor lacks the knowledge, experience and good frame of mind, to govern, the door is wide open for him to either resign or quit,” he said.
Ndako expressed dismay over the decision of the state government to take organized Labor to court adding that this development is happening for the first time since the creation of the state.
He added that Labor was not unaware of all the assembly approvals for government palliative measures of N4.6 billion, N10 billion, N1.8 billion and N14.6 billion which is awaiting expressing fear that the funds have been diverted by the governor.
Ndako then reiterated that they will not relent until the government agrees to pay the full salary of workers adding that even 95 per cent will not be acceptable.
He said that the strike continues urging workers to remain at home and be law abiding until they get directive from the union urging them not to be intimidated by anyone
Niger State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello who described the strike embarked upon by the state civil servants as unfortunate accused the Labor of being unnecessarily rigid.
He said that government has shifted ground to pay 90 percent salary in July as against the 70 percent that was paid in June adding that the strike action was detriment to the development of the state.
Speaking during an enlarged state executive council meeting in Minna Wednesday, Bello said that there were wide consultations with all stakeholders about the new salary regime adding that it was not unilaterally decided.
Bello lamented that Labor was not ready to reason with government but during the five-hour meeting with the leadership of Labor on Monday, they still refused to accept government gesture at the meeting.
He said the leaders of the Union were shown the details of the incomes of the state and the ongoing developmental projects during the meeting with labour in a bid to seek for their understanding but they still resorted to their action.
“I had a meeting with the Labor and I gave details of our incomes, the on-going developmental projects and why we have to sacrifice today for the future of our children, who are leaders tomorrow but from the action of the workers it is clear that they are only interested in their salary alone.
“They are not bordered about the state of our schools, all the labour wants is for us to use all we have for their salaries. I told them that we have to attend to the critical areas as highlighted in our cardinal priority programmes. I have made it categorically clear that the 70/30 percent ration is not a policy. It is a temporary arrangement. If tomorrow our FAAC is increases, workers take home will also increase.”
