The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to paralyze administrative, social and economic activities in Kaduna state any moment from now if the state government fails to rescind its decision to sack over 21, 000 teachers who reportedly failed a recent competency test conducted by the state government.
The National President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba stated this yesterday in Kaduna after the national leaders of the Congress joined their local counterparts in Kaduna to stage a protest that temporarily paralyzed the state's city centre.
The protest started in the morning after the leadership of NLC, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) took over the popular Independence way, causing traffic gridlock in the area. Also, hundreds of teachers, students and workers across the state participated in the action.
Addressing the protesters at the State's House of Assembly Complex, Comrade Wabba said the test conducted by the government was unilaterally carried out with litanies of irregularities.
"Names of some dead people appeared on the list of those who passed the competency test, so also names of security men who did not sit for the exam. El-Rufai is using them as a smokescreen to tell the world that teachers have failed exams.
“We must therefore not relent in our efforts to defend this issue to the letter. Be ready and let us drive the process. Next time we come, we will shut Kaduna down totally. We will come with our families, mats, mattresses and food and occupy the state,” he added.
Apart from organized labour, the three senators representing the state in the National Assembly have called on the state Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufia not to sack teachers. Speaking on behalf of the senators, Sen. Shehu Sani accused the governor of plotting to replace the teachers with his loyalists would assist him realize his reelection bid in 2019. Meanwhile, the governor says the decision is irreversible.
