el Rufai talks tough despite call by fellow APC Governors to meet NLC, threatens to sack nurses

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el Rufai has is talking tough and threatening to dismiss nurses of Barau Dikko Specialist hospital and others in public hospitals below Grade Level 14 that joined the ongoing statewide shut down by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

His latest stance is coming amidst the suggestion of fellow All Progressives Congress)APC) Governors that he goes back to the negotiation table with the striking Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) members.

el Rufai has already declared the National President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, and his executive members wanted for the strike that has grounded the state. Wabba has dared the state government to have him arrested, as workers and thugs allegedly procured by government battled on the streets.

NLC is on a 5-day warning strike in Kaduna to force the hand of government to recall thousands of staff sacked, and prevent the sack of thousands more. Kaduna has effectively in a standstill as the strike entered its second day.

The APC platform governors urged el Rufai to return to negotiations to protect the state’s economy.

Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi state and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja: “The PGF has been following unfolding development between NLC and Kaduna state government over the issue of rightsising local government employees with deep concerns.

“Noting all the challenges facing all our states, especially given dwindling revenue, we appeal to all patriotic Nigerians, including the NLC, to demonstrate more commitment toward engaging governments at all levels to address problems.

“This is not the time for muscle flexing,” Bagudu said, saying that Nigerians were already overstretched with many challenges.

“At this critical point of our democratic journey, there could not be limits to engagement between all governments and citizens,” he said on behalf of the APC governors.

“We appeal to NLC leadership to recognise that the burden of leadership is more about responding to challenges based on the honest disposition of correcting past mistakes.

“As progressive governors, we share the vision of Kaduna state government of reforming all our local government councils to make them more efficient and consequently the pivot of critical development initiatives.

“At the same time, we want to appeal to the state government under the leadership of our colleague, Malam Nasir El-Rufai to take all necessary steps to ensure the resolution of all disagreements in the larger interest of citizens in Kaduna state,” he said.

However, in statement by his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, el Rufai was sad over allegations that some nurses disconnected the oxygen of an incubator hosting a premature baby at the Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital.

The statement reads in part: “Today, the Kaduna State Government reviewed the sundry criminal actions that have defined the campaign of economic and social sabotage and lawlessness waged by the NLC.

“KDSG considers as unacceptable the serial violations of the Miscellaneous Offences Act and the Trade Union Act that have occurred over the last two days. The state government commends citizens for remaining calm amidst this assault on their rights and comfort and their businesses.

“However, KDSG cannot be expected to tolerate the brazen shutdown of electricity, attack on public infrastructure and buildings, locking up hospitals and forcefully discharging patients, unlawful trespass into public facilities and the wanton use of coercion and restraints of personal freedom by the NLC.

“Efforts to dress up criminal activity as industrial action do not change the reality of the lawbreaking that has unfolded, including their persistently ignoring the prohibition against impeding essential services. Also, KDSG cannot ignore the illegal pressures brought to disrupt the operations of banks and other private business whose staff and customers do not have any industrial dispute with the state or any other government.

“KDSG acknowledges doctors and some other categories of health workers that are trying to run public health facilities, but regrets that some nurses have joined the unlawful strike and engaged in sabotage of some of our health facilities. Nurses were implicated in the forceful discharge of patients in many health facilities.

“Reports from Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital disclosed that some identified nurses disconnected the oxygen supply of a two-day old baby in an incubator on Monday, 17th May 2021. The names of the three nurses from the Special Baby Care Unit (SBCU) who were involved in this despicable act have been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice to initiate prosecution for attempted murder or murder in the event we lose the baby.

“In addition, KDSG has decided the following:

1. Ayuba Wabba and his senior confederates in the NLC are declared wanted, and will be vigorously prosecuted for violations of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, the Miscellaneous Offences and the Trade Dispute (Essential Services) Acts. They are advised to report to the Ministry of Justice and the Police Headquarters to take their statements;

2. The Ministry of Health will dismiss all nurses below GL 14 for going on an unlawful strike. Salaries that could have gone to them are to be given as extraordinary occupational allowances to the health workers who are at their duty posts to fill the gap of those absconding from duty. The Ministry of Health has been directed to advertise vacancies for the immediate recruitment of new nurses to replace those dismissed;

3. Any academic staff of KASU that does not report for work will be dismissed. The authorities of KASU are to submit a copy of the attendance register for all categories of staff daily to the Secretary to the State Government and the Commissioner of Education;

4. All MDAs are also to submit daily copies of attendance register to the Head of Service;

“KDSG views the actions of the NLC as equivalent to the actions of the bandits kidnapping and menacing our citizens. Bandits illegally use arms, but the NLC is 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. It is a vain expectation that this government will respond differently to sets of unlawful actions that have the same ends.

“KDSG will 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.”