NLC suspends strike in Kaduna as FG intervenes

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended the five-day warning strike in Kaduna state following a request for negotiations by the federal government.

Members of the labour union had embarked on the strike over the decision of the state government to disengage 4,000 workers across the 23 LGAs.

The Kaduna government had said the decision was taken because the huge wage bill wasn’t sustainable.

Nasir el-Rufai, Kaduna governor, had accused the NLC members of economic sabotage and declared their leaders wanted.

Shortly before the strike was called off, Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, had said the federal government was taking steps to achieve a truce between the two sides.

“The federal government is not folding its arms and already the minister of labour and employment has waded in and is in touch with both the government of Kaduna state and also the labour,” he said.

“In addition, the security apparatus all over the country have also taken pre-emptive measures to ensure that hoodlums don’t take advantage of this situation.

“In particular, I know that the police have reinforced its patrol between Kaduna and Abuja so that we do not witness kidnappers taking advantage of the situation.

“Overall, I think the federal government is quite concerned and is doing its best to see how the two parties can resolve their misunderstandings amicably, with little loss to productivity, little loss to properties.

“At the end of the day, all the parties have to come back to the drawing table to agree and hammer out concessions and agreements.”