NULGE crisis: Nasarawa govt, labour unions reach truce

The leadership tussle that has gripped the Nasarawa State branch of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE) appeared to be over as Labour Unions in the state and the National President of the group, met with top government officials in three separate meetings to nip the crisis in the bud.

President of NULGE, Comrade Ibrahim Khalil told the Head of Service, Mr. Joseph Isa Ancho that the crisis was politically engineered and cannot allow any of its union members anywhere in the 36 states of the federation to create a faction, hence the need for the prompt visit to fashion a way out of the crisis.

Khalil, who spoke alongside the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said that the state government should not in any way create a crisis in labour union because the government would be the one to suffer from the resultant effect of such crisis, saying that the issue of parallel leadership has a root, hence the need to uproot it.

The labour union leader stated that NULGE is guided by ethics and established laws as such, no individual, group, or any government official, has the powers to appoint a caretaker committee without the consent of the National Secretariat, describing the faction led by one Abdulahi Hussaini as unconstitutional, criminal and unacceptable.

Khalil described Governor Tanko Almakura as a labour friendly leader who is ever ready to ensuring that the union in the state enjoys all the support of government at all times, adding that “We are ever prepared when our attention is required to resolve any issue.”

He told the state government that he expected them to have liaise with him on issues bothering the union, assuring that he cannot be part of any labour related issue that could hamper the activities of government in the state except otherwise.

He charged the leaders of NULGE in the state to always carry their members along in every activity to avoid suspicion and acrimony.

The Head of Service said he was impressed by the visit and the prompt action taken by the National President and other labour union to tackle the issue at the early stage, declaring that “We are aware of the crisis but we cannot recognise any leadership apart from the one led by the state President, Alhaji Abdulahi Abubakar (a.k.a Alaye).

After several hours of closed door dialogues, both parties came out expressing satisfaction with the resolution, saying “We have resolved the matter as such there is no faction in NULGE.”

Some of the top government functionaries at the meeting included the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Aliyu Tijjani, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dauda Sabo, and Permanent Secretary in the office of the Head of Service, as well as the Chairmen of Lafia and Awe Local Government Councils.

Meanwhile, Chairmen of Local Government Areas in the state were fingered to be behind the rift within the NULGE so as to create confusion in the state thereby making them to stay in office beyond the stipulated time frame of March 24, 2016.

Some leaders of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employee and the state Chairman of NLC, also alleged that that they were planning to bribe the state legislators to extend their tenure beyond constitutional date.