Non implementation of new minimum wage: Forum asks workers to suspend protests
By Doosuur iwambe
A forum under the aegis of Plateau Concerned Local Government Staff Forum (PLALOCAF) has appealed to local government workers in Plateau State to suspend their industrial action.
Recall that the workers took to the streets in protest against the non implementation of the new minimum wage by the state government.
However, PLALOCAF in a statement joinyly signed by Mr Pam Bot for Northern Zone, Nde Patrick Gomos for Central Zone and Sir Birtrus Nanven for Southern Zone said its appeal for the suspension of the strike action was based on the ground that the protest meant to draw attention of the state government to the deplorable plight of workers at the council level was hijacked by opposition politicians and hoodlums alike for selfish reasons.
The group also alleged that the protest has become an avenue for the desperate opposition politicians to feather their nest adding that the development had been turned into campaigns for the 2023 elections.
The representatives from the three senatorial districts of the state called on members to withdraw from the action to allow relevant bodies negotiate with the government towards amicable resolution.
They charged the state government on the other hand to sustain negotiations with stakeholders and declare its own position to the aggrieved workers.
“We, the entire management and members of Plateau State Concerned Local Staff Forum (PLALOCAF), came together to issue this statement after a critical and painstaking analysis of the over one-month old strike protest embarked upon by our members and the circumstances that led to the protest.
“We observe with regret that protesters have continuously blocked the entrance to the Plateau State Secretariat for over three weeks, thereby preventing civil servants and other legitimate income earners access to the secretariat for their legitimate business.
“This is illegal and worrisome. This development which we have found to be sponsored by some self-seeking and desperate opposition politicians in the state is a threat to peace and stability of the state,” the group said.
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They appeal to the protesters to stand down the protest and allow our leadership engage with the government and other stakeholders for an amicable solution.”
“Plateau belongs to all of us irrespective of our political, religious and ethnic alignments, the unity, peace, and stability of the state should be paramount to us and not our interest alone.
“We can only eat and sleep in peace when there is peace. Collecting money, food and other supplies from opposition politicians, and allowing thugs who are not local government staff to infiltrate us is not only dangerous but a serious threat to peace and unity of our state.
“The blocking of the entrance of the state secretariat by our members during the protest was agreed just to be for three days, to pass a strong message to government but all of a sudden, politicians started sponsoring some of our members and sending in thugs to protest with us.
What is really the interest of these politicians?”, it questioned.
