Nasarawa govt boycotts Workers’ Day celebration, seals proposed venue

Workers in Nasarawa State expressed mixed feelings over the decision of the state government to turn down their request to use the Parade ground, a proposed venue for Worker’s Day celebration in the state.

The state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Yusuf Sarki Iya, made this known in Lafia, while addressing journalists on the occasion marking May Day celebration, saying he received an order last night stopping them from using the venue.

“Yesterday around 10 pm, I got a call from the Commissioner of Police that there was a restriction you should not even go near the place. Already, we’ve put options A and B in place for if the government did not approve the fund and ground for us to operate, we will come down to our secretariat.

“This day is our day and you can see workers are happy, look at the excitement in their faces even more than the usual celebration at the parade ground,” he stated.

Comrade Iya, further used the occasion to pressed on the union’s demands which include implementation of N30,000 minimum wage, reinstatement of 22 judiciary officers who were disengaged among other demands.

He applauded the government for its prompt payment of workers’ salaries and for putting an end to percentage payment in Local Government.

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Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Police Commissioner, Bola Longe, said the police are not against the May Day celebration. He said this at the Labour House while addressing the workers in Lafia.

Tribune Online observed that no government official was seen at this year’s Workers’ Day celebration, but the state government through its Head of Service, Abari Nicholas Aboki, in a phone call, said the union did not invite them.

Responding to the closure of the venue, the Head of Service added that the workers have not followed due process in channelling their request which was the reason why the government couldn’t approve the venue.

It would be recalled that the union in the state had last week elected Yusuf Sarki Iya as new chairman ahead of the former leader, Abdulahi Adeka who was perceived to be the government’s candidate.

Workers viewed government’s refusal as a sign of dissatisfaction with the new executive.