Striking workers raze Plateau commissioner, lawmaker’s houses

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ANGRY striking workers in Langland South Local Government, Plateau State, on Tuesday razed houses belonging to the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Barko Donfa; representative of Langtang South in the House of Assembly, Mrs. Joyce Ramnap; and the Chairman of the Transition Committee, Mr. Nanman Darko.

The workers joined others in the state to paralyse business activities as they made good their threat to embark on total strike over wage dispute with the state government.

The workers had given the state a 10-day ultimatum to pay their salary arrears as well as implement the new national minimum wage.

The ultimatum expired on Monday.

Gates to government offices and banks were locked in obedience to the order of the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Mr. Jibrin Bancir.

In a statement in Jos on Tuesday, Bancir said the state government had refused to yield to the workers’ demands.

In Jos, workers gathered at the gate of the Joseph Gonwalk Secretariat, where they were addressed by union leaders and the new Police Commissioner, Mr. Chris Olakpe.

Hundreds of policemen were deployed in the secretariat and other government offices to forestall outbreak of violence.

Bancir told the workers to remain resolute and asked that no worker should go to work until the state government heeded the demand of the local government workers.

Olakpe said the presence of the policemen should not cause any apprehension as they were there to ensure that hoodlums did not take advantage of the situation.

Director of Research and Documentations, Mr. Chris Kwaja, who spoke on behalf of Governor Jonah Jang, said the government still believed that labour remained a partner in progress.

“As government that came into power through a mandate that was popular and overwhelming, we have a responsibility to protect the lives and property our citizens which explain the relationship between government and other security agencies and above all the media” he said

He enjoined the striking workers to respect the rule of law and adhere to the order of the National Industrial Court, which restrained them from embarking on strike.