Strike: NLC Shuts Down Govt Offices, Court, Disco In Edo, Ogun, Katsina, Others…. 

Workers in several states have joined the strike action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) which kicked off today, shutting down activities at several government-owned facilities.

The Edo State chapter of the NLC downed tools at government offices in compliance with the nationwide industrial action declared by the national body.

At the Civil Service Secretariat in Benin City, the Edo State capital, union leaders, including the state NLC chairman, Mr Odion Olaye, locked out civil servants who had come to work.

The same scenario played out at the State High Court and the Edo State House of Assembly, where the gates were under lock and key.

Some banks in the capital city closed their doors to customers, who were left to do their transactions at the ATM terminals.

In Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, the NLC, TUC, and other affiliate bodies also joined the ongoing indefinite national industrial action as instructed by their national leadership.

Staff members of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company were stranded at the gate, while the gate was under lock and key.

Commenting on the development of the indefinite industrial action, the state Chairman of the NLC, Hamed Ademola, BENKO, expressed satisfaction over the level of compliance.

In a similar vein, the Katsina State chapters of the NLC and TUC joined the strike action, saying it would continue until the government at all levels wakes up to its responsibility.

In Rivers State, activities outside the Federal Secretariat in Port Harcourt showed skeletal services appeared to be ongoing, although many workers had yet to arrive at 10:30 am.

There were normal activities at the Nigeria Immigration Service, while other offices, including the Office of the Federal Controller of Works and the Ministry of Works, were completely deserted.

The strike comes on the heels of the physical assault NLC National President Joe Ajaero was subjected to in Imo State two weeks ago when he and other NLC members were in the South-East state for a demonstration over “non-payment of salaries and pensions for 44 months and violation of other labour rights”.