Kogi state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the weekend directed all civil servants in the state to reject their December salaries to protect the jobs of over 6,000 workers slated for sack by the government.
The directive came on Sunday in Lokoja at the meeting of the executive commitee. The communiqué was signed by Mr James Odaodu chairman and Mr John Kolawole secretary respectively.
It was stated in the communiqué, that the leadership of the NLC was pained by the arbitrary removal of the names of over 6,000 workers from December pay roll, and that the only way to protect the interests of the workers was for the entire workforce to reject this month’s salaries.
Labour accused the Commissioners for Finance, Budget and Planning and the Account-General of ‘hijacking’ the job of the committee constituted by government to implement the report of the recent screening of the state work force.
The officials were urged to hands-off to ensure thorough implementation of the report of the exercise.
NLC, which was said to have appreciated the government efforts to sanitise the state civil service, however frowned at what it described as -selective- implementation of the screening.
“We condemn the plan by government to implement part of the report.
“We have other issues in the report such as cash backing of promotion and annual increment among others,” the communique said.
The commission warned that failure by the government to do the necessary things could result in jeopardising the peaceful industrial atmosphere in the state workforce