The Nasarawa state Government and the organised Labour have been engaged in industrial dispute since May 2016, resulting in the death of some workers during a protest over unpaid salaries in the state. MOSES JOHN in this report, takes a look at the peace processes and the need for a genuine reconciliation to guarantee industrial harmony in the state.
July 28th, 2016 would remain fresh on the mind of Nigerians, especially workers in the employ of the Nasarawa state government who were at the gate of the Government House protesting against the government over unpaid salaries and downward review of their salaries.
The day saw the killing of two of the protesters allegedly by men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). There has been accusation and counter accusation by the state government, the workers and other stakeholders in the state regarding who is responsible for the death of the workers.
While the workers are insisting that the introduction of the policy by the government to reduce workers’ salaries, the government on its part believed the time was apt to review downward workers’ salary because of the economy recession in the country.
However, to arrest the situation, National Human Right Commission (NHRC), after a petition by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), calling for investigation into the matter, directed that status quo ante be maintained to give room for reconciliation.
The NHRC directives was contain in a letter signed by its Executive Secretary/ CEO, Prof. Ben Angwe and dated August 22, 2016. It read in part: “That NLC and its affiliates are hereby strongly advice to restrained from embarking on the planned or any protest in connection with complaint either in Nasarawa State or to do any such act that will jeopardise or has the potentials of affecting the protection of parties, victims, evidence or witnesses or any participants in the complaint process or the outcome of the investigation.
“The government of Nasarawa state is to suspend forthwith the implementation of reduction of workers’ salary pending the completion of the investigation of the complaint.
“All parties to this complaint as well law enforcement, security agencies are to ensure full compliance of this interim measure pending the full investigation and determination of this complaint.
“That by section 6 (4) (d) of the NHRC act 1995 (as amended), it is punishable offence for any persons, body or authority to refuse to comply with the lawful directives of the commission.”
However, the federal government in a bid to ensure peace returned to the state summoned the Nasarawa state Governor, Tanko Almakura and the organised Labour to a reconciliatory meeting.
At the meeting, which was at the instance of Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, the state government declared that the dead workers and others who sustained injuries during the crisis would be adequately compensated based on the Employees Compensation Act.
The minister stated that, President Muhammadu Buhari frowned at the situation in the state and mandated him to intervene with a view to resolving the crisis.
Ngige said: “When the issue has resulted in the loss of two lives, Mr. President has frowned at this situation and in consonance with the duty of the President as the chief custodian of industrial peace, he has asked me after reading the communique of emergency NLC National Executive Council meeting in Lagos, to do the needful so that we can get peace back to Nasarawa state.”
Gov. Almakura who was represented by the Attorney General and Commissioner for justice, Yusuf Usman; had on his team other state officials including the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Othman Ibrahim Ahmed; Head of Services, J. I. Ancho; Commissioner for Finance, Dominic Bako.
The team also include the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Communication and ICT, Hamza Mohammed; SA on Labour Matters, Musa Dangama; and Permanent Secretary, Salaries, Khahid Musa.
Speaking on behalf of the governor, Usman disclosed that the state government had already reverted the decision that caused the crisis and therefore called on the minister to ensure that the workers called off their strike.
He also told the minister that the state government would invoke “no work no pay rule” and would not pay the workers for the months of July and August, during which the workers had been on strike.
However, the state government agreed to pay the shortfalls of the salaries during which the contentious new salary scale was implemented to the workers, while it also agreed to compensate the dead and the injured workers based on the Employees Compensation Act.
With the directives of the NHRC and subsequent reconciliatory meeting by the minister, many believed that all parties will shelve their sword to allow industrial harmony in the state.
However, some of the Labour leaders in the state, who spoke with our correspondents said the movement, going by the National Human Right Commission directives suspended the plan pickets, and wander why the state government will disregard the commission order on suspension of new policy.
NLC chairman in the state, Comrade Abdullahi Adeka, said in the meeting with the minister that the state government told the minister that they have reverted to status quo and asked that the matter be refer back to the state.
He, however, expressed dismay at the state government refusal to pay the shortfall of salary, which is in the month of May and June 2016.
Comrade Adeka insisted that workers position remain unchanged, which is for the state government to pay the slashed May and June, 2016 salary to the workers before the strike can be suspended.
“When we returned from Abuja after a reconciliatory meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, the state government requested that we should suspend the strike before the slashed salary of May and June can be paid. Our position is that unless the money is paid, the strike would continue.
“How can you renege on several agreements which you freely signed with the workers, and you want us to suspend the action without paying the deducted salary of workers.”
The state government and the workers must understand, they are both partners in progress, and must continue to work together to ensure industrial harmony in the state for optimal productivity and development.