Government workers including health personnel in Nasarawa state on Friday May 8, embarked on a one week strike action following an alleged deduction of their salary and lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Akwe Baba Omadefu who spoke on behalf of other executives of organized labour in the state, said about 25% of their salaries were deducted by the state government.
He said;
“We are praying for the full payment of our salaries without the 25% deductions for staff of the 13 local governments.
“We are also demanding for free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and not those they are selling to us.
“That is why we have barricaded the entrance of Karu Local Government Secretariat.”
While the Chairman of Karu Local Government, Mr. Samuel Gajere Akala insisted that the protesting workers “took the laws into their own hands”, the state Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Abdulkarim Kana said they are unaware of the workers’ grieviances.
He told Daily Trust;
“We do not even know their grievances, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) that is supposed to be the umbrella body of local government workers did not approve the strike.
“The government of Nasarawa still appeals to them to come forward with their grievances they have against their local government councils.”