The Nasarawa State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress has split into two factions over a planned industrial action in the state.

Organised labour in the state had on May Day given the state government a one-week ultimatum to meet the demands of workers or they would go on strike.

However, during a state executive council meeting, the members of the NLC chapter in the state impeached the chairman, Adeka Abdullahi and replaced him with, Umar Bala, who was vice chairman.

Abdullahi was impeached for allegedly ordering the suspension of the strike on the basis that negotiations are ongoing with the government.

This did not go down well with members who felt the government did not take their ultimatum seriously.

Bala said Abdullahi was impeached because of members had lost confidence in him.

He said, “Since we came on board, honestly, we have not achieved anything as a labour in Nasarawa State. We keep on signing agreements with the government and they keep on failing.

“The former chairman was removed because we do not have confidence in him and he has been wining and dining with the government. That is why we cannot have respected before the government.”

He added, “We urge the government to act fast to our demands or else we will be left with no option to see what we can do; the struggle has just begun. Workers in Nasarawa State have suffered a lot, they have a setback.”

However, Adeka rejected his impeachment and ordered a suspension of the strike, saying negotiations are ongoing.

He said, “I want to assure the workers of Nasarawa State that they should remain dogged, they should remain loyal to the presiding officer led by Abdullahi Adeka. I still remain the chairman of NLC in Nasarawa State and I am not shaken by any group of persons that can just sit down and think that they can plan a palace coup that will not yield any fruitful result.”

Workers in Nasarawa State are, however, still on strike with offices under lock and key except for health workers who refused to join the strike.

Meanwhile, the Head of Service has issued a press statement instructing workers to go about their normal duties and ignore any directive from the Umar Bala-led faction.

“It is hereby reiterated that any civil servants that do not adhere to this directive and fails to report to duty will be held personally liable for his/her action.

“Permanent secretaries and chief executives of commissions, boards and parastatals are therefore to ensure compliance by opening and maintaining attendance register for their staff and submit same at the close of work on a daily basis to the permanent secretary, civil service secretariat, office of the head of civil service as any absenteeism will be treated as abscondment.” (Channels TV)

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