The warning strike called by Nigeria Labour Congress flopped in Lagos, but in Abuja recorded a partial success.
While banks in the commercial capital opened for business and government workers also reported for work, in Abuja, some affiliates of the NLC. were able to ensure compliance with the NLC directive
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) Correspondent in Abuja who visited some of the NLC affiliates including banks and government ministries and parastatal agencies on Tuesday, observed that some of the offices were under locks.
NAN correspondent who visited some of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, observed that very few workers were on ground.
The gate at the Radio House was locked preventing staff from going inside the premises.
Some filling stations and some banks such Access, First Bank in Nyanya, Union Bank in Area 3, were closed in compliance with NLC directives.
Guaranty Trust Bank in the city was open, although there were few patrons, remarkably.
Electricity workers were locked out of their premises by unions in Abuja, causing power cuts in most homes and offices in the capital.
“We are all outside while other workers have gone home. Now, there’s even no supply centrally to Abuja,” one electricity worker said.
In Bauchi state, the Federal, state and the private sector workers joined in the strike.
Workers in Oyo state also joined the strike.
NAN reporters in Ibadan said branches of First Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Sterling Bank and others banks within Ibadan metropolis were closed to customers.
Customers depositing money in banks and patients to public hospitals were turned away.
Also, it was observed that only few nurses were on duty to attend to emergency cases at the Adeoyo State Hospital and Oni and Sons Children’s Hospital, both at Ring Road in Ibadan
The gates of the Oyo State High Court/ Magistrates Courts at Ring Road and Iyaganku respectively were also shut to the public as well as the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal and National Industrial Court.
Oyo State NLC Chairman, Mr Kayode Martins, said that workers in the state complied with the directive of the national body of the union to commence the two-day warning strike.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) which monitored the strike in the state, reported that the state was partially locked down.
Reporters in Osun and Enugu states said workers only partially complied with the strike directive.
According to reports, the strike partially paralysed human and commercial activities within Enugu metropolis.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who went round Enugu metropolis on Tuesday, observed that the courtrooms in Enugu were under lock and key, while some banks and other financial institutions were not open for business.
However, there was relatively low compliance with the directive in Federal and Enugu State Secretariats in Enugu as some senior workers reported for their normal duties.
Traders and commercial vehicle operators ignored the strike in Enugu, the reports said as full-scale vehicular traffic and trading in markets, plazas went on.
Banks in Osogbo, Osun State capital shut their doors to customers as they joined the two-day warning strike embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC).
This did not affect transactions as customers migrated to the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) at the bank premises.
NAN also observed that there was partial compliance as senior management staff of government offices in Abere were seen at their duty posts.
A director, who pleaded anonymity, said workers at the senior management levels would not join the strike but cannot force junior staff to come to work.
The staff of the Osun House of Assembly, Osogbo, were also at their duty posts following lawmakers plan to hold their plenary session.
At the Osun State High Court, Oke-Fia, majority of the staff were absent from work with few vehicles sighted entering and exiting the court premises.
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) was equally shut with many customers who came to buy tokens unable to do so.
An official of IBEDC, who refused to be named, said that they received directive to join the strike and that they have fully complied.
Mrs Modupeola Oyedele, Osun State NLC Caretaker Chairperson, told NAN that the strike directive is from the NLC headquarters.
She said all members of NLC and affiliate members were to comply with the directive.
The NLC called the workers out on strike to demand a reversal of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms aimed at reviving growth in Africa’s largest economy.
The reforms included the end of the fuel subsidy regime, which gobbled $10 billion yearly and the move to close the gap between the official exchange rate, that has triggered a scandalous arbitrage in the system.
The reforms caused pump prices to more than triple and the naira also weakened sharply.
NLC said its warning strike that will end tomorrow will presage an indefinite strike on Sept. 21.
The Trade Union Congress said yesterday it will not join the strike asked the NLC to seek dialogue with government.
“Today’s action is see how government can reverse its policy because every family is feeling the pain of harsh policies … which has resulted in the astronomical increase in transportation, food, goods and services … just to name but a few,” said NLC’s Bayelsa state secretary, Angese John.
Unions staged a strike a month ago but suspended their action following an offer of talks with the government, but those did not result in concessions sufficient to placate organised labour.
