Labour suspends five-day warning strike in Kaduna

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday suspended its five-day warning strike to attend the meeting summoned by the Federal Government today.

The strike entered its third day yesterday, with threats from either side not willing to shift ground, but had to yield last night following Federal Government’s intervention.

NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, confirmed the receipt of the invitation by the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige. “We met and agreed we should honour his invitation,” Wabba said.

The Federal Government had pledged to mediate in the raging dispute between labour and the Kaduna State Government over mass sack of civil servants. The meeting between labour, representatives of Kaduna State Government and the Federal Government will hold today.

EARLIER, anti-labour protesters in Kaduna metropolis, who came out to counter the allegations of the NLC against the state government, had accused labour of constituting nuisance.

Yesterday, they gathered at NEPA Roundabout, the same spot the NLC members gathered for protests the previous day.

Women, youth and children were also seen holding placards to protest against the ongoing NLC strike on its third day.

The protesters accused the labour union of putting Kaduna residents in total blackout.

Inscriptions on their placards highlighted the achievements of Governor Nasir el-Rufai, including payment of pension and gratuities to retired workers to the tune of N14 billion, payment of scholarship and introduction of loan scheme to students.

The governor had asked Wabba to submit himself to the nearest police station for prosecution, after he accused him of economic sabotage in the state.

But Wabba dared the governor to arrest him as he led a protest within state, which was eventually thwarted by hoodlums wielding dangerous weapons.