The nationwide strike called by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) commenced Tuesday despite warning by the federal government that the unions should avoid contempt of court.
The lead labour bodies called out their members on an industrial action following the November 1 attack on the NLC President Joe Ajaero in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
Although the unions claimed security agents were behind their leader’s woes, this was however denied by the police that said they only took Ajaero into protective custody to save him from the attackers’ wrath.
And as a form of protest, the labour leaders alleged a police officer and an aide to Governor Hope Uzodinma were behind Ajaero’s woes, and demanded that the duo be sacked from their duty posts, failure of which they threatened to call out their members on a nationwide strike.
Sensing the danger, the federal government returned to court to reiterate its earlier order stopping the labour from going on strike.
In the wake of the fuel subsidy removal controversy, the National Industrial Court had halted the move by labour to go on strike pending the determination of the suit before it.
And last Friday, the NIC reiterated its order which was however ignored by the unions which commenced strike, Tuesday.
And in its reaction, the Presidency said the action by the two labour unions was not in the nation’s interest, describing it as an ego trip attempted at blackmailing the government.
“This decision by the NLC and TUC other than being an ego tripping move is clearly unwarranted. It is an attempt to blackmail the government by the leadership of the NLC.
“We are still at a loss as to why the NLC and TUC decided to punish a whole country of over 200million people over a personal matter involving the NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, whose error of judgment led to assault on him in Owerri while he was planning to incite the workers in Imo State into a needless strike,” the Presidency had said in a statement by a presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
Kaduna
However, Blueprint reports that the action didn’t receive the support of all the workers as some complied with the directive while others chose to report at their duty posts.
For instance, many public and private organisations were Tuesday shut down across Kaduna state as the workers stayed off their duty posts.
The state chairman of the NLC, Comrade Suleiman Ayuba Magaji, said they got the information late and thus was unable to effectively mobilise their workers from across all labour sectors, adding that there would be full compliance Wednesday.
Blueprint findings showed that the state secretariat along Independence Way and the House of Assembly complex were under lock and key.
Many workers, who had earlier reported at their various offices were chased out by labour officials in a bid to enforce the strike actions.
Offices of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, banks and government agencies were shut down across the Kaduna metropolis.
Though banks closed their gates, but they were providing skeletal services.
Also, the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Gwamna Awan General Hospital Kakuri and other state-owned hospitals were also deserted as doctors, nurses and other auxiliary staff of the hospitals, were nowhere to be found when one of our correspondents visited.
Petrol filling stations were dispensing fuel to customers, markets and other private organisations were unaffected by the industrial action, while all tiers of schools both private and public were all working seamlessly showing that the Nigerian Union of Teachers(NUT), Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU) and Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers(NUPENG ) were yet to join the strike action.
Edo
But in Edo state, many pupils and students of public schools were stranded.
The students, who were apparently unaware of the strike action, had resumed for academic activities, but met their school gates shut.
Besides, commercial banks shut their doors against customers who had visited for transactions.
Blueprint observed that activities in government’s ministries and agencies were paralysed in total compliance.
TUC leader in the state, Comrade Alabi Precious said there was total compliance with the strike in the state.
Also, his NLC counterpart, Comrade Odion Olaye, said the union shut down banks, courts, state secretariat, ministries, department and agencies among others, in compliance with the national body’s directive.
Kwara
And from Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, workers deserted government offices in compliance, just as the state NLC said it would set up a committee to further picket offices to ensure full compliance.
The entrances leading to the state secretariat in Ilorin were under lock and key as civil servants heeded the call and stayed at home.
Also, only teachers in public schools around the state secretariat were not in school, but some students were seen playing in field as their classes.
In an interview with Blueprint, the state NLC chairman, Comrade Saheed Murtala Olayinka, said: “In Kwara state, there is a compliance on the strike. With the latest development, I was made to understand that we have some offices that are opened.
“We want to stratagise how we are going to picket those offices. Strike has commenced fully in Kwara, we want to organise a picketing committee; we are trying to make ours to be solid.”
Osun
It was same story in Osogbo, Osun state, as banks and schools were shut, with students who had earlier come to school, returning home.
Similarly, officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), who had earlier reported for work, also shut their offices.
The entrance of the state secretariat was opened but findings showed that civil servants did not resume work.
NLC acting chairperson, Modupe Oyedele, said: “workers in Osun complied fully. Osun is in full compliance with the strike directive.”
However, workers at the state university teaching hospital, Osogbo, were attending to patients when Blueprint visited.
Efforts to see the spokesperson of the hospital were futile but findings showed that some unions in the hospital had received a memo for the strike later in the day.
Ekiti
Reports from Ekiti state showed workers in government offices, schools and institutions were not at work, except a few who claimed to have gotten the notice of strike late, reported for work.
In a statement, the state NLC chairman and secretary, Comrades Kolapo Olatunde and Foluso Israel, said: “This is sequel to the recent developments in Imo State that led to the brutalisation and abduction of the National President of the Congress – Comrade Joe Ajaero by the Aides of the Imo State Government and Men of the Security Agencies, along with other Comrades with him in Imo state to protest the injustice meted out to workers and retirees alike.
“They were in Imo, on issues bothering on non-payments of several months of salaries, non- remittance of deductions, arbitrarily declaring some staffs as ‘ghost’ workers amongst other social vices.
“All State Councils of the Congress have been directed to proceed on an indefinite nationwide strike action, starting from 12:00 Midnight 14th November, 2023 till further notice.
“Subsequently in a similar faction, the Ekiti State Council of the Congress, arising from a State Administrative Council (SAC) and State Executive Council (SEC), hereby bring to your notice the directives of our National Headquarters.
“Please accept our utmost regard as we appreciate the understanding and cooperation between us always.”
Enugu
But the situation was different in Enugu state as the NLC chairman, Fabina Nwigbo, said the congress was just mobilising workers into action.
“We are at a meeting and I am trying to prepare a letter to galvanise the workers for the strike. You know the order is coming from the national Secretariat,” he said.
However, one of Blueprint correspondents who visited some areas in Enugu observed that banks were rendering services to their customers.
It was also observed that workers of some government agencies came to work early in the morning.
At the government revenue office along Zik Avenue, workers were in their various offices while a bank along Agbani Road was also rendering services to their customers.
Similarly, both private and government schools also failed to observe the strike as at the time of this report.
A civil servant who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed the leadership of both NLC and TUC over the non- compliance, saying they failed to act when the ovation was loudest.
TCN debunks national grid shutdown
Meanwhile, the TCN Tuesday described a report alleging it shut down the national grid over labour unions’ strike as “false and misleading”.
An online medium had earlier reported that the TCN had shut down the national grid in compliance with directives of labour leaders.
But in its reaction via a statement, TCN General Manager Public Affairs Ndidi Mbah said the national grid is intact and supplying bulk electricity to distribution load centres nationwide.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby states that the publication by Daily Post alleging that the Head of Public Affairs of TCN said that there will be a national blackout is false and totally misleading,” she said.
Describing the statement as mischievous and baseless, the TCN spokesman said: “We hereby note that the nation’s grid is intact and supplying bulk electricity to distribution load centres nationwide.
“As at when issuing this statement, the TCN National Control Centre Osogbo which controls bulk power transmission nationwide, is actively operational.
“We would appreciate that reports are made with a sense of responsibility not just to cause panic.”
