About 20 heavily armed security men from the state owned security outfit, ‘Operation Yaki’ have on Tuesday taken over the Kaduna office of MTN telecommunications to prevent any break down of law and order following a protest by the Kaduna state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) acting in compliance with instructions from their national headquarters to picket the telecom provider over poor working conditions.
The action, Daily Trust reports paralyzed business activities of the telecommunication outfit for hours.
Leading the protesting union members, the State NLC chairman Comrade Ango Adamu and other labour leaders who spoke to newsmen said, their action was not to engage the management of the telecom outfit in violence that could lead to breakdown of law and order, but to demand for the rights of Nigerian workers.
Comrade Adamu stressed that Nigerian workers will not be slaves in their own country, adding that “There is no room for casual workers in the labour extant rules of engagement.”
According to the labour leader, “What is being done in Nigeria cannot be done in South Africa. Casualization is slave labour and will not be tolerated. We are here to request that the telecommunication outfit comply with Nigeria labour law because we will fight against all forms of exploitation.”
The labour members who engaged in singing solidarity songs also carried placards with various inscriptions to including, “We shall overcome slavery, freedom come by struggle, Workers rights are human rights, No to precarious work, yes to dignity of labour, No to corruption yes to good governance. Workers should be given their pride of place”.
Reacting, Area Manager of MTN, Kaduna area office, Fatima Abba Paris commended the labour union for composing themselves in their protest without being violent like it was experienced in some of their offices in other states.
She refuted the statement by NLC that MTN hires and fires at will, saying, “MTN only hires based on need and when such need is no longer needed, the person is disengaged and MTN does not hire contract staff directly.”
On freedom of association by staff of MTN, she said, “MTN does not stop its staff from associating with any union, but it is voluntary for them and not compulsory.”
She added, “The Kaduna office is closed within the picketing period for fear of any breakdown of law and order like it happened in some of their office in some states. I am however assuring that the management has noted their grievances and will do the needful accordingly.”
Among those who participated in the protest were the president of the National Union of Textile Garments, Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) Comrade John Adaji and the State Chairman of Nigerian Union Teacher (NUT) Comrade Titus Amba.
