TheNewsGuru

Kogi Workers square up for protest over deductions by State NLC

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Civil Servants in Kogi State are warming up for a street protest against the State Labour Union over plans by the State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to deduct from their salaries and fund the repairs of a recently acquired office in Lokoja.

Many of the Civil Servants who spoke to TheNewsGuru (TNG) described the plan as evil and sadistic.

They said the Onuh Edoka – led NLC was nothing but clueless and corrupt, noting that aside the current NLC’s initial braggadocio when the present administration of Governor Yahaya Bello came to power, it has since joined the government to rain down unfriendly policies that have created difficulty for Kogi Civil Servants.

The State NLC has concluded plans to deduct N3000.00 from salaries of civil servants in three instalments of N1000.00 effective from July, 2022.

Ilemona Testimony who refused to tell TNG the ministry or parastatal where he works, described plans by the NLC to deduct civil servants’ monies for, ‘repair and equipping of office’ as nothing but ‘a wicked intention that would compound the already difficult situation workers are in.’

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Mr Testimony noted that the current salary being paid them was nothing to write home about because “It is called a take-home-pay but it cannot even take us from one place to the other, talk more of home.”

“We (the workers) are already facing very difficult times. The NLC should be advocating for how they can improve our welfare and not how to compound our problems. They should help us advocate for how the state government can reduce its overhead on its appointees and improve on our take-home, not for them to start cheating us on the peanuts we get at months ‘end.”

Speaking, Mrs Victoria Audu described the news as a joke, and asked what the NLC has done with the monthly deductions they make from salaries of civil servants.

Mr Olorunyomi Samson is of the opinion that the state NLC leadership has lost focus because it is now part of government, working hand-in-hand to subvert the rights of workers.

He asked; “How much advocacy or demand, have they made about approval of civil servants’ promotions, talk more of cash – backing same? How much efforts have they put in to ensure Leave Bonuses and allowances are paid civil servants since this administration came to power? I can answer that, none!

“Also, how have they expended all the check-off dues they have been deducting from our salaries monthly? Has it not been one compromise after another on many issues, to the extent the current state chairman of NLC has even joined politics and wants to contest for either the state or the national assembly position?

“We know how expensive it is to vie for positions in this country. Where did the state Chairman get the money to contest for elective position in mainstream politics?

“They should not make the mistake of touching a dime from my money, otherwise I’ll curse them and join any street protest because, already, I don’t have any salary having expended my money in servicing loans.

“They should look for alternative means of repairing their office and live their lives of luxury because I cannot use my money to fund such lifestyle. Labour Union that I know is about service, but what we have are people of questionable characters occupying masquerading as labour leaders.”

TheNewsGuru reached out to the State NLC Chairman who was not disposed at the time of going to press, but a senior member of the state NLC executive confirmed the ‘plans’, saying, ‘But nothing has been concretised yet.

“The thing is, the state NLC has the love of its members at heart. It is because of our continued efforts of fighting for our members that the state government has refused to build a befitting secretariat for us as it has done for sister organizations.

“The government built the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Secretariats. But because we are uncompromising, they have refused to listen to us. All our pleas have fallen on deaf ears.

“The decision to prevail on our members to take it upon ourselves to have a befitting NLC House is to give Kogi Workers prestige and more voice to truly agitate for our rights.

“The NLC House does not belong to any individual civil servant; it belongs to all of us. Anyone can become the NLC Chairman tomorrow and would have access to the House. I think the current NLC leadership commended rather than condemned over this matter,” the NLC official said.