As part of activities of the warning strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) against the sack of workers in the state, Kaduna was thrown into total darkness from Saturday midnight, following the order by the National Union of Electricity Employees  (NUEE) to ensure total blackout in Kaduna State.

Meanwhile, some residents of the state have lamented the harsh condition of staying without electricity particularly in the present hot weather condition coupled with the possible damage to perishable items in their fridges or freezers.

Some of the residents said the blackout had brought about unpleasant experiences.

 Mrs. Grace Ifeanyi said, “We are not happy about the blackout; since (Saturday) night, I  have found it very difficult, no water. Anything that is causing the strike, they should please resolve it.”

A resident, Iordye Ngongu said, “I am sad about the total blackout because all of us are involved. To charge phones is a problem; even to buy fuel, one has to suffer, but if that will make the governor call back the disengaged workers, it should continue.”

Another resident, Isah Hassan, said, “It is challenging because the masses are going to suffer. The Labour Union and government should have gone into negotiation and resolve this issue amicably instead of putting our lives in danger. A lot of people who go out daily to look for means of survival will not be able to go out. It is going to paralyze not only government activities, some other persons will suffer it, too.

“On the issue of the blackout, what PHCN did was completely wrong because they are not part of Labour; they have never been part of Labour. I am not in support of their blackout; why should they black us out? Are they part of government workers? They are not”.

Also, some markets were filled up with people carrying out all forms of purchases particularly food items. Some of them gave preparation against the strike as the reason for such panic buying.

Mrs. Juliana Andrew said, ” In Nigeria, anything can happen. We know how the strike will start, we don’t know how it will end. Just imagine, we are in darkness already even when the strike was yet to start; that is why you see people buying foodstuff for keep just in case,” she said.

Meanwhile, a press statement issued by the NLC Kaduna State chairman, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, said, “Earlier, we were misled to have commended Kaduna State Government for being the first state to implement N30, 000 minimum wage to both Civil Servants and the retirees.

“However, we noted with dismay that the government reverted to the old minimum wage of N18, 000 in April 2021 in the local government council. State civil servants received half salary, which is even less than the former N18, 000 minimum wage.  Health workers were denied almost all their allowances such as hazard, call duty, shift, rural posting, etc.

“It’s disheartening to hear Kaduna State Government claim that it had paid up to N14 billion as arrears of death benefits and gratuity from 2017 but the fact is that the same government disengaged over 35,000 civil servants in 2017 and up to date over 80 percent have not received their retirement benefits.

“It’s sad for Kaduna State Government to claim its commitment to the training of workers while those that are qualified for promotion remain stagnate for years.

“On claims by the government supporting civil servants to pay for houses through mortgages on a single-digit interest, this claim is false. The reality is that the mortgages were gotten by the joint effort of NLC and TUC.

“The state government in its Ignorance failed to realize the obvious fact that payments of salaries have multiplying effects on the social welfare and economy. In other words, when salaries are paid, it reflects down the line.

The unfortunate downsizing of the workforce in Kaduna State was not done following the statutory Labour law. With a keen examination of its activities from 2017 till date, over 50,000 workers were affected.

“It’s in the public domain that over 21,000 teachers were sacked, 5,000 local government workers were equally disengaged in 2017, while another 12,000 state civil servants were also unfairly disengaged, and the recent sacking of over 7,000 workers of local government in April 2021; these lay credence to the figure given by the NLC.