Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has officially stopped the illegal deductions from workers’ salaries. He gave the pledge in the heat of a nationwide solidarity protest organised by members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
The National President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Waba, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital while addressing workers at the state labour house.
He explained that after the intervention of the Nigerian Human Rights Commission, NHRC, on the on going strike in the state and the protest that led to the killing of two workers, Governor Al-makura has acceded to demands of NLC and the recommendation of NHRC to immediately stop the controversial deduction of workers salaries and to also compensate families of the slained victims.
It would be recalled that the leadership of the NLC had earlier declared August 23rd as a national protest day over the death of workers killed on July 29 and the deduction from workers’ salaries in the state.
In keeping to their words, the NLC leadership stormed the state capital where they were received by thousands of workers.
Ayuba in his address said he was happy to be in the state to emphasize to the world that in a modern and democratic setting, any kind of arbitrary deduction from workers’ salaries is inhuman and insensitive.
He added that the situation in Nasarawa state was particularly painful given the fact that some workers’ salaries were deducted by almost 50 per cent despite the hard economic crunch faced by Nigerians across the country.
“The era of deducting salaries of workers at will must come to an end. We have gotten to where we are through collective struggle and we have always won. Therefore I urge you to remain steadfast and resolute,” He said.
He appealed to governments at all levels in the country to cultivate the habit of abiding by the laws of the land and come to terms with the fact that workers salaries is not a privilege but a right that should not be toyed with at will.
He also urged all workers in the state to continue to remain united and work together as a united body because the aim of a union is to protect workers rights.
“Whatever we have gotten was gotten through struggle. I want to assure you that this struggle will be won because what we are fighting for is justice, justice for our workers and our fellow comrades who were killed while demanding their legitimate rights,” He said.
Wabba then disclosed to the workers that the state government had officially written a letter to the leadership of the union informing them of their decision to henceforth stop the illegal deduction of their salaries.
He then commended NHRC and the Nigerian Police Force for initiating investigations into the unfortunate death of two workers in the state due to injuries sustained in front of the Nasarawa state government house.
Our correspondent reports that prayers were held for the repose of the souls of the dead workers.
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