Home FEATURES NLC Nation-Wide Strike Collapses, Workers Across The Country Ignore It

NLC Nation-Wide Strike Collapses, Workers Across The Country Ignore It

TradersA call for a nation-wide strike by a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) failed today in many states of the federation as workers reported at their work places even as normal activities of the day continued.

Reports reaching us from various states, indicated that workers and residents virtually ignored the call by the labour union to embark on strike over the increase in pump price of fuel.

The News Agency of Nigeria correspondents who monitored the situation in states report that key institutions like banks, schools, state and federal secretariats, hospitals, markets and all major commercial centres were opened for normal activities.

In Bauchi State, where some youths demonstrated the previous day in support of the deregulation of the downstream oil sector, labour officials did not attempt to enforce the strike.

A civil servant working with the state government, Sanusi Ibrahim, said most workers were not in support of the strike.

“When we were not paid our salary for over eight months, what did the NLC do?

“Before the removal of subsidy, we were buying fuel at the cost of N300 per litre; in some states, even N500. Now the fuel is available at maximum of N145. The NLC should leave us alone.”

Normal activities are also going on in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, with banks, schools, hospitals, state and federal secretariats open for business.

NAN correspondents in Yola also report that normal activities are going on in Yola and other major towns of Adamawa State as schools, banks, markets, as well as the State and Federal secretariats remained open.

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Many people who spoke on the failure of the strike said they were not convinced that the action was the best alternative in the present circumstance.

Mallam Adamu Danwanzam, the Chairman of Yola Perishable Food Items Sellers Association, said his members were not in support of the strike action.

Also speaking, the state chairman of Private School Proprietors in Adamawa State, Hajiya Dijatu Balla, said her members had no business with the strike action.

Malam Husaini Isa, the Chairman of Commercial Tricycle Association in Adamawa State, also distanced his members from the strike, pointing out that for many months, his members had been buying fuel for N200 per litre and as such the new prize of N145 per litre was a relief.

The situation is the same in Dutse, Jigawa State as people went about their normal businesses. At the State and Federal secretariats, civil servants were seen attending to their official duties.

A bank staff who pleaded for anonymity said that they observed the situation for some time and decided to open at about 9am as against official time of 8am.

Officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force were seen in strategic places to ensure safety of lives and property.

There was however a partial compliance in Gombe State as the NLC Monitoring Committee went round to ensure compliance.

Most places of work, schools, banks and the state radio and television stations were closed.

NAN. [myad]

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