Mourns 36 workers killed by bandits

 

Abiodun OBA

The Federal Government has been called upon to intensify efforts to arrest insecurity in the country by intensifying military intelligence gathering and usage.

The Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kaduna State Council, Comrade Ayuba Magaji made the call during the Workers Day celebration at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on Sunday.

Magaji also called for one minute silence and prayed for the souls of the departed comrades who lost their lives as a result of insecurity and other harsh conditions within the year.

The NLC boss said military intelligence gathering and usage can be intensified by using modern equipment, gadgets, machines and technology such as drones to combat the odd trends of insecurity in our beloved state, the North West Zone and the country at large.

In Kaduna State, 36 workers lost their lives as a result of banditry,

Magaji said workers have suffered high inflation and  traumatic situation of insecurity in the land, coupled with  continuous hostilities between the state government and workers.

He therefore called on the workers to obtain their voter’s card and vote out politicians who will not defend their interest.

The theme of this year’s worker Day celebration was titled, “Labour, leadership and the quest for Good Governance and Development in Nigeria”.

According to the labour leader, the International Workers’ Day has also come to symbolize the “never-say-never willingness of the working class to keep the wheels of wealth creation rolling.

“Despite the sincere efforts of the State Council of the Congress to revalidate cordial industrial relationship with the State Government, its affairs that a lot needs to be done to achieve that.

“We wish to inform this gathering that aftermath of the twin actions led by the National Secretariat in April, 2021, and through Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment tripartite Committee that is meant to resolve the industrial dispute between the Congress and the State Government which ended in a deadlock, whereas the Government delegation refused to sign the three months interfaced produced report for a simple reason which is out of the terms of reference of the Committee, and thus truncated the possibilities of reviving the cordial industrial relationship.

“We are happy to inform you that the struggle against wicked and greedy parasites triumphs as we emerged victorious in solidarity by our members in the recent attempt by the State Government to take away our hard earned freedom of Association as guaranteed by the Constitution of our beloved country, through the distribution of forms to our members to choice whether to belong to trade unions and be paying check off dues or not.

“Also, despite some challenges, we defeated the elements of competency test by rendering the exercise worthless and ineffective after a vigorous campaign against the menace.

“We are here on this occasion of the 2022 International Workers’ Day to celebrate the resilience, resurgence and resourcefulness of Kaduna workers at this moment of great distress and dislocation in the world of work as occasioned by the gritty and greasy hands of crude and high inflation of more than 15.9% that is taking away the gains and the traumatic situation of insecurity in the land.

“The duo had shaken to the core progress made by workers for decent wages, dignified working conditions, sustainable livelihoods and an increased stake in the spread of the surplus-value created by workers,” he said.

“In order to strengthen labour and working class struggle in our state, both the leadership and membership need full participation by workers in both partisan and non- partisan forms of politics for the simple reason that leaders are only produce through the political process, and for workers to have leaders that will protect and defend our interest and welfare, we must have people from our fold to take leadership position to serve on our interest.”

“We are to support only politicians and political parties that guaranteed to serve our interest, by even engagement at the electioneering process and taking interactive sessions to presents our charter of demands for adoption by candidates and parties.”

“We equally have plans to revive our own political party and vie for political offices through its platform.

“We need to strengthening the capacity of both leadership and membership through rigorous education and training sessions and programme. We have adopted the NLC Study circle methodology to enlighten workers even at shop floor and at branches and units level.

“We need to participate fully in all workers activities and programmes with all sense of responsibilities without any prejudices more especially the importance of trade union unity and solidarity because our strength lies only in our unity.

“We to inculcate  the belief and ideology that freedom comet only by struggle, and that compromise and backsliding will poster only injury to our individual self and our collective stand in the working class struggle”. He said.

While explaining how some workers lost their lives to banditry, Comrade Ayuba said, “Apart from the recent terrifying train attacked that resulted to the death of our compatriots including our Comrade the Secretary General of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUCN), Late Comrade Ozigi and good number of other Comrades by the insurgents/Bandits’ in Kaduna.”

“The cases of insecurity has overwhelmed our consciousness and imaginations resulting to gross anxiety, strenuous stress, tinted trauma and general poor productivity”.

“Local Government Areas and Communities like Birnin-Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia, Kaura, Zangon Kataf and some part of Kagarko and to be specific

Kaduna Abuja Express Way has become dungeon of death and free field of kidnapping.”

“The kidnapping of our children at Forestry mechanization college and the two Nurses at Rural Hospital ldon in 2021, the incidence of shooting at sight of our Health Worker in Birnin Gwari, the kidnapping of 13 Zaria staff in Giwa Local Government Area are still fresh in our memories.”

“On Behalf of the leadership of the Congress, we send our heartfelt sympathy and share the pains of those that lost their lives and those still in captivity, as we pray for the safe return of those in captivity and repose of the soul of the demised.”

“We appreciates the role and sacrifices of our security personnel, while we are calling the Federal Government to intensify efforts to arrest this ugly situation by intensifying military intelligence gathering and usage, using modern equipment, gadgets, machines and technology such as drones to combat the odd trends of insecurity in our beloved state, the North West Zone and the country at large”.

 


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