The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has condemned the sack of 4, 042 local government workers by the Kaduna State Government.
The State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs,
Jafaru Sani, had on Wednesday said the mass sack formed part of the state government’s restructuring of the local government system in the state.
Reacting to the development, the NLC declared the sack as ‘illegal’,
saying that the action violates labour laws and industrial relations
practice in the country.
“The reasons adduced by the government are spurious and unfounded,” a
statement by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, noted in a statement on
Thursday.
Speaking further, the NLC boss said, “Aside from this, the process is
patently faulty and unlawful. “For instance, redundancy cannot be
carried out without following the provisions of the Labour Act .
“When the Government of Kaduna State announced to the whole world its
plan to lay off about 25,000 teachers for failing a competency test for
Primary Four Class, we not only expressed our misgivings, we said the
so-called competency test was a subterfuge and part of a premeditated
plan to drastically cut down the workforce in furtherance of dangerous
neoliberal policies.“The latest illegal mass sack of workers lends credence to our assertions or fears.”
“We would want to warn of the consequences of the reckless actions of
the government of Kaduna State and will call for caution and restraint
on the part of the government.
“It is evident that the government has not given sufficient
consideration to the social consequences of laying off en masse 5,000
workers.
“The Governor boasts that no one, absolutely nothing could stop him
from carrying out his agenda of mass retrenchment of workers.”“This is most unfortunate and a direct fulfillment of the exact
opposite of his campaign promise and APC’s manifesto to create jobs.
“He often says as Governor, he has the right, power, means and will
to do as he likes, but this is undemocratic and anti-workers.
“We are worried by these emotional outbursts, and their infectious effects on his peers and the polity as a whole.”