More updates on NLC protest across Nigeria as strike fails in Kano

Strike partially successful in Edo

The nationwide strike declared‎ by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday, was partially successful in Edo State as the state public service workers stayed away from their offices in obedience to the directive of the state council of the union which asked the workers and others to stay at home.

However, it was observed by Daily Times correspondent who monitored the strike action that banks, Courts and some public schools were opened for business, even as federal parastatals and agencies in the state also opened for business.

‎Commercial activities in Benin went on as usual, as markets and other commercial outlets opened for business just as taxi and bus drivers were in operation throughout the day.

Meanwhile, the State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun, led some members of the Congress and Civil Society groups to enforce the‎ strike and  had earlier in the day matched from their Secretariat at James Watt, off Mission Road, and went through the King’s Square (Ring Road) to Sapele Road.

NLC shut down A’ Ibom secretariat

Paulinus Nta, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State secretariat, on Wednesday, resembled a graveyard after officials of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), locked the Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, ordering all civil servants to vacate the premises.

To this end, members of the public, who had one thing or the other to do at the secretariat, were stranded.

At the ministry of works, the commissioner, who is the cousin of the state governor, Mr. Ephraim Inyang, ordered all staff of the ministry to come to work or be fired, but when officials of NLC stormed the premises, the staff of the ministry took to their hills and vacated the ministry.

When our correspondent visited the capital city, public schools and other public parastatals were closed.

The State chairman of NLC could not be reached at press time, but the chairman of Metal Product and Steel Staff Association of Nigeria (MEPROSSAN), Engr. Stanley Inyang, said the strike is indefinite. He maintained that the federal government is negotiating with a faction of NLC which is not a representative of NLC.

Strike shuts private, govt sectors in Plateau

Chijioke Kingsley, Jos

The strike action embarked upon by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over the fuel subsidy removal, on Wednesday, paralysed business and commercial activities in Jos and Bukuru Axis of Plateau state.

Our correspondent who visited some parts of the town observed that most banks and commercial business centres in the state did not render services to customers.

However, some Union members who spoke to our correspondent accused the Federal Government for fractionalising NLC in order to score cheap political gains, but vow that labour will stop at nothing to see that the common man is protected from the anti-people policies of government.

Meanwhile, the state and federal secretariat was also closed down stopping workers from gaining access to their offices, while students of public primary and secondary schools in the state were told to return back home by their principals.

Staff of the University of Jos and the Nigerian Television Authority College were also denied access to their various institutions by members of the NLC.

Similarly staff of the state House of Assembly were denied access to their offices by members of the NLC.

However, some traders who sell foodstuffs were seen displaying their wares to passerby.

Strike fails in Kano

Yakubu Salisu, Kano

The strike action embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) appeared to be ineffective in Kano, as banks, markets, schools and other offices have continued with their daily activities.

Observation shows that all markets in the state remained open on Wednesday. It could be recalled that the state’s market leaders have earlier announced that they won’t take part in the industrial action.

Public and private Schools in the state, including tertiary institutions remains open as academic activities continues without any hitches.

Residents of Kano interviewed on the recent development, shared almost same opinion as majority were of the view that the strike was not necessary. They argued that the president should be given enough time to put things in order rather than resulting to such action.

Strike sees shaky in Imo

Val Okara, Owerri

The nationwide strike called by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and affiliate unions over the increase on the pump price of fuel by the federal government, on Wednesday, started on a shaky note as markets in the metropolis remained open for business.

Our correspondent who moved round Owerri, the Imo state capital, reports that both the federal and state secretariats along Port Harcourt Road were locked by state chairman of the NLC, Mr. Austin Chilakpu and his team as earlier as 7 am. A large number of workers were seen outside the gate of the secretariat discussing about the strike before the arrival of the state Head of Service (HOS), Mr. Calistus Ekenze, who broke the keys of the state secretariat.

The junior staff of the state civil service bluntly refused to enter the secretariat while senior staff were seen on their duty post without performing any functions. Daily Times reports that workers of both Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) and Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, were asked to go home by the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) of the two institutions.

Ondo NLC joins counterparts in nationwide protest

‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure

Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the Ondo state council, on Wednesday, took to the street and joined their counterpart in a nationwide protest against the hike in the petrol pump price of N86 to N145 per litre as announced last week by the federal government.

The protest was led by labour leaders in the state who mainly wore red aprons and wielded placards with different inscriptions depicting their disagreement with the hike in the fuel price.

During the protest, some government workers in the state were sighted at their respective place of work although those present were carrying out menial job while the residents also went about with their normal business activities.

Both public and private schools in the state were opened for academic activities while banks opened their doors to customers for financial transactions, which was against the directive of the labour.

The leadership and members of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), however, snubbed the protest and refused to come having backed out on Tuesday night, however, the state leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) joined the protest.

Labour unions cripple business activities in Delta

Business activities including government owned offices were on Wednesday shut down by Labour Unions in Delta State, who defiled the National Industrial Court which restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) from going ahead with its planned strike action over hike in fuel.

The protest recorded in Warri, Ughelli, and other major cities in the state, started in the early hours in Asaba where the unionists in large numbers took to the streets, armed with placards: “We need a change in fuel price, the increase is too much for Nigerians, we say no to fuel increase”.

Popular Ogbeogonogo Market in Asaba was shut down, including petrol stations along Nnebisi Road where the Labour Union protesters marched through with long vehicle filled with musical equipment entertaining on lookers with “Nigeria Jagaga”, popular Idris Abdulkarim song over the years.

The Unionists in solidarity songs called on federal government to rescind its decision on fuel increase to N145 or face continued industrial strike action.