In a desperate action and fight back, the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has declared the National President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, wanted.
Wabba, together with other members of the union was declared wanted for economic sabotage and attacks on public infrastructure under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
el-Rufai disclosed this on Tuesday through his verified Twitter @elrufai.
He stated that “anyone who knows where Wabba is hiding should send a message to the ministry of justice, Kaduna state.”
He added that there would be a handsome reward for anybody with details about the whereabouts of the NLC president.
It would be recalled that members of the NLC took to the streets of Kaduna state to protest the mass sack of workers.
The strike, which started on Monday, May 17, has left some travellers stranded and frustrated at the Rigasa Train station.
Residents have also been experiencing total black out while fuel stations have remained shut.
Meanwhile, in a statement in which he described the Labour leaders as official bandits, the governor threatened to dismiss nurses, others civil servants for participating in the congoing strike.
The Governor in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the NLC National President would be vigorously prosecuted for violations of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, the Miscellaneous Offences and the Trade Dispute (Essential Services) Acts.
He advised Wabba and his senior confederates to report to the Ministry of Justice and the Police Headquarters to take their statements.
The Governor added that the Ministry of Health would dismiss all nurses below GL 14 for going on an unlawful strike.
He said salaries that could have gone to them were to be given as extraordinary occupational allowances to the health workers who were at their duty posts to fill the gap of those absconding from duty.
The Governor has also directed the Ministry of Health to advertise vacancies for the immediate recruitment of new nurses to replace those dismissed.
The Governor said any academic staff member of KASU that did not report for work would be dismissed.
He said authorities of KASU were to submit a copy of the attendance register for all categories of staff members daily to the Secretary to the State Government and the Commissioner of Education.
The Governor said all MDAs were also to submit daily copies of attendance register to the Head of Service.
He said the State Government viewed the actions of the NLC as equivalent to the actions of the bandits kidnapping and menacing the citizens.
He said bandits illegally used arms, but the NLC was deploying mob action for exactly the same ends, trying to hold hostage the freedoms, economic interests, livelihoods and resources of the people of Kaduna State.
The governor further stated that it was a vain expectation that this government would respond differently to sets of unlawful actions that had the same ends.
He said the State Government would not submit its treasury to the entitled minority.
“We will reform and rightsize our public service to meet the needs and resources of the Kaduna State even if the NLC strikes ad infinitum.
“The government remains committed to using all the resources it can generate to serve the interests of the majority of its citizens, providing social services beyond paying salaries, always putting the interests of the many ahead of the few,” he said.
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