NEW twist has emerged in
the Kogi State labour crisis, as
yet-to-be identified gunmen
killed a labour leader, Mallam
Abdulmumuni Yakubu, and his
friend in Okene, yesterday.
As a result of this new
development, the organised
labour in the state said it has
suspended discussions with
government on the ongoing strike action which started on October 22.
State Chairman of the Nigeria
Labour Congress, NLC, Onuh
Edoka, and his Trade Union
Congress, TUC, counterpart,
Comrade Ranti Matthew Ojo,
gave the indication yesterday in a
statement in Lokoja.
According to the labour
leaders, the negotiation which
was supposed to continue “with
government today, Thursday, is
suspended to enable labour leaders
mourn their colleague”.
They said the late Yakubu, who
was until his death, the branch
Chairman of the Non-Academic
Staff Union of Secondary Schools,
NASU, at the Kogi State Science,
Technology and Technical Education
Board, was gruesomely murdered
alongside his friend in his house in
Okene.
The labour leaders said the murder
of the “unionist is a confirmation
of the fear that their lives is not
safe because of their agitation for
a better welfare package for civil
servants in the state”.
The statement added that the
labour leaders will return to the
negotiating table as soon as there
are assurances for their safety and
that of members of their families
from the powers that be.
The organised labour
condemned the murder of the
union leader, calling on the state
police command to urgently
unravel his killers. “Organised
labour in the state will fight on
to ensure that his death does not
go the way of many unresolved
murder cases”.
However, the labour leaders
urged workers to remain steadfast
and be prayerful, saying God will
surely intervene in their matter
soonest.
Comments
Post a Comment