Government workers in Niger State have started an indefinite strike because the state government did not meet their demands.
The strike was organized by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) after talks with the government failed.
The NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) instructed civil servants to go on strike indefinitely because the state government allegedly did not address concerns about workers’ well-being and good governance.
The organized labor groups are asking for the cancellation of political appointments in different agencies, such as Executive Directors of Finance, Operations, and Administration.
The labor unions also demanded that appointments in the Local Government Service Commission and Civil Service Commission be reversed, and that appointments of directors-general in government agencies be withdrawn.
They stressed the importance of the government providing a clear statement on the payment of wage awards and warned against appointing unqualified individuals as permanent secretaries.
Additionally, they called for the withdrawal of the appointment of a vice principal who was serving as a permanent secretary in order to allow for career advancement within the civil service.
In response to the upcoming strike, the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, announced a meeting with the labor unions to address the issues at hand.
He reassured that the government was dedicated to resolving the matters in the state’s best interest and maintaining a positive relationship with organized labor.
The meeting was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in order to prevent the strike from happening.
