By Ibrahim Bello Zauma
There are different angles to look at every issue. The comprehensiveness of an Islamic verdict (Fatwa) depends on the broadness of the relevant issues it addresses.
It is certainly true that strike has no basis in Islam and so is the violation of contract by suppressing the right of the employees by the employer.
It is thus a one-sided verdict to pass judgement on the strike without addressing the cause of the strike itself.
The knowledge of a scholar should not be limited textual evidence but also personal experience and knowledge and a situation on which to offer a verdict.
Malam Maikwano has apparently been carried away by the stagnation of medical services caused by the NLC-led industrial action.
However, he either deliberately ignored the fatal consequences of the government's refusal to settle gratuity and pension backlogs which has been causing deaths, bodily incapacitation and mental trauma or he doesn't know the situation on ground. Yes, strike does cause lots of visible suffering and deaths but certainly not as much as the employer's violation of labour rights.
In six consecutive torturous years of civil service in Zamfara State, it is very difficult to keep count of the civil servants and retirees who died or become mentally traumatised as a result government's violation of the rights of civil servants.
There is currently ₦4,000,000,000 (Four Billion Naira) gratuity backlogs not settled by the state government even after the May Day promise to remit ₦100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira) every month.
Even if the state government keep its promise for its remaining 19 months, there will still be 2,100,000,000. (Two Billion One Hundred Million Naira) backlog.
Imagine the number of civil servants who will retire before the end of the tenure adding more weight the backlog figure.
Malam Maikwano failed to take this situation in cognizance nor did he care to offer the verdict to the NLC officials personally within the early days of the ultimatum.
His measurement of the two evils is not balanced because he seems to find more fault with the strike than with the violation of contract (Aqd).
© Ibrahim Bello Zauma
18/09/2017
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