Ports, Banks, Courts, Offices shut As NLC Strike paralyses Activities Nationwide

Labour leaders, on Tuesday, paralysed activities across the country, chased workers out of their offices, banks and shut down Lagos Ports.
The action was to ensure compliance with the two-day warning strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The labour leaders chased out workers from their offices at the state Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health and other offices situated at Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State.

The NLC Chairman, Comrade Victor Amoko, who monitored the warning strike described it as successful, saying the strike was for all Nigerian workers and not only  those in Ondo State.

Amoko said that the Federal Government had done little to cushion the effect of  fuel subsidy removal on the workers and general populace of Nigeria.

He said that the state Head of Civil Service, Mr Kayode Ogundele, had compelled the workers to report at work in spite of the call for a warning strike by the NLC.

“Our workers complied it was only that a little confusion created by the Head of Service who threatened  them that he would not pay them salaries if they did not come back.

“He started writing names of workers who reported at work, which is uncalled for to us because it is not being done in Ondo State alone.

“We are not particular about the government of the state, if we are talking about this state, there is another issue on that.

“So asking them to come back because you pay their salaries is uncalled for,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Head of Service has said workers in the state were not part of the two-day warning strike declared by NLC in Abuja.

Ogundele made this position known during his routine inspection of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Akure on Tuesday.

According to him, the state NLC was yet to inform the state government of its intention to go on strike while the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had emphatically distanced itself from the strike.

Ogundele said based on the position, no worker in the state had any reason to absent himself from work under any guise or else such worker would be seen to have been absent without official permission.

According to him, absenteeism from work without permission has corresponding implication in line with extant rules in the state Public Service.

”Workers understood that TUC had declared that they are not part of the strike that was declared by the NLC.

”And I’m also happy to note that in Ondo State, NLC has not in any way officially communicated to us that they are on strike,”the HoS said.

He hinted further that the monitoring of the situation would continue later in the day and on Wednesday, calling on Accounting Officers in all MDAs to comply fully with existing rules guiding lateness and absenteeism .

Meanwhile, all the banks in the state capital were under lock and key.

An official of one of the new generation banks in Alagbaka, Akure, confirmed the development.

“Our closure was to avoid any unforseen circumstances which may happen if we open for services today,” he said.

Also banks in Ikare-Akoko, the headquarters of Akoko North East Local Government were not opened for services.

Mr. Kamil Adesina, one of the bank’s customers, called on government to find lasting solution to the hardship being confronted by members of the public in respect of subsidy removal.

“Here in Ikare-Akoko, banks were not opened for services. I wanted to do transfer, but could not. I have visited many ATM stands and none is working or dispensing money.

“We are just begging government to fulfill its promise it made since removal of fuel subsidy because people are suffering,” Adesina said.
In Cross River State, banks, court premises and the State Secretariat are “under lock and key” in compliance with the two-day warning strike directed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

A visit to major areas in Ogoja, Waterworks and Unity Square roads on Tuesday shows that major markets were also deserted.

Some filling stations were seen dispensing products to customers.

A Civil Servant, Mr Samuel Ejike, said that banks adhered to the NLC directive as they were all closed to customers.

“I pray this abnormality stops, so that the country will move forward,” Ejike said.

Meanwhile, the NLC Chairman in Ebonyi State, Prof Oguguo Egwu, recalled that on August 2, it embarked on a nationwide protest to drive home their demands.

Egwu said the demands were for the federal government to address the welfare of the citizens, including workers, following the removal of oil subsidy which has led to hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

“Over one month after the protest, the federal government is yet to address any of our demands or even create an avenue for meaningful engagement.

“This is a case of utter neglect of the Nigerian workers and the suffering masses,” Egwu said.

He said that labour had demanded that the federal government take immediate steps to address the massive suffering unleashed on its citizens by the hike in the price of PMS.

Others, according to him, include implementation of a living wage award which was an outcome of the last engagement between organised labour and President Bola Tinubu.

“This will be followed by an increase in minimum wage as provided by law.

Other demands reeled out were “Stakeholders in the aviation sector desisting from violating the rights of their workers to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

“Compelling the Imo state Government to stop the abuse and violation of rights and privileges of workers and Trade Unions in the state.”

According to Egwu, National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress, declared a two-day warning strike commencing on Tuesday.

“You are therefore directed to remain in your homes and on no occasion shall any comrade violate this directive of the NEC which has been domesticated by a resolution of the States Executive Council,” Egwu said.

In Lagos, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) disrupted economic activities at the Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports.

The the ports were shut down in line with the two-day warning strike by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The action was as a result of the escalating hardships and suffering among citizens across the country, occasioned  by the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

The labour union is agitating the non-implementation of some of the resolutions reached from their previous meetings, by the Federal Government.

The port gates leading to both the Apapa and Tin-Can Island seaports were all locked.

Mrs Joy Onome,  Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agent (ANLCA) said that they could not access the ports when they came out for operations.

“The impact will be very enormous because this will lead to congestion at the port.

“Now, we are also talking about shipping companies and terminal operators charges, what will happen to that? Who will pay for them?

“At the end of the day, demurrage is going up because we are wasting ample time,” she said.

Onome noted that the containers that were meant to be dropped for examination did not take place, while envisaging same to be the case for Wednesday.

“We want a situation where  three additional days will be given to us  because of the strike, so that we will be able to cushion the effect,” he said.

Also speaking, a transporter, Yusuf Liadi, said that not a truck had exited nor accessed the port.

He, however, advised that already cleared cargoes be allowed to exit the port, saying importers would accrue more demurrage and shipping charges.

This, he noted, would also be detrimental to the already fragile economy.

“We are already suffering in this country, infact, we are suffocating. For instance, I left my house early this morning for Apapa to transport an already cleared container to owners’ warehouse only to be told now that there is strike.

“No consignment will be allowed to move. This is double tragedy for the agent and importers, because they will pay demmurage and storage charges to Shipping companies and terminal operators.

“Also, government should provide palliative, the suffering is much. I spent over N5,000 to come to Apapa due to the subsidy removal. Government should do something before it becomes too late,” he said.
In Anambra State, officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), brandishing canes, chased workers out of the state secretariat in compliance with the directives by the congress to embark on a two-day nationwide warning strike.

It would be recalled that the NLC, in a communique at the end of its National Executive Council (NLC), said it would commence a two-day nationwide warning strike from September 5 to 6.

Some NLC officials used cane to chase civil servants out of work places.

One of the workers, who preferred anonymity, said the compliance with the strike action came to her as a shock.

“This is the first time I’m witnessing Labour union taking this strike action seriously since I joined the civil service.

“For the first time I saw labour officials using cane to flog workers out from their offices. If I had known they would be this serious, I would not have reported to work today,” she said.

The Federal Secretariat opposite the state secretariat was deserted as workers did not report to work.

Banks and courts within Awka, the state capital, were all shut down.

Commercial activities in Awka were, however,  ongoing as businesses, shops and markets were open with commercial transporters carrying out their businesses without obstructions.

Mr Humphrey Nwafor, NLC chairman, Anambra State said that they recorded 90 per cent compliance in the state.

“Though, we are still monitoring the strike, I can tell you that we have recorded 90 per cent compliance in Anambra state.

“I’m calling on workers in the state that we need to come together as a pressure group to press home our demands.

“We will not rest until victory is achieved. The struggle continues,” Nwafor said.

In Enugu State, the warning strike partially paralysed human and commercial activities within the Enugu metropolis, leading to residents not able to meet their daily routine.

Courtrooms were under lock and key, while some banks and other financial institutions were not open for business.

Meanwhile, there was relatively low compliance with the exercise in Federal and Enugu State Secretariats in Enugu as some workers (mostly senior/management level workers) were seen going about their normal office duties.

However, there is ongoing full-scale vehicular and traders’ activities within major roads, markets, plazas and streets within Enugu metropolis.

Speaking, a litigant, Mr Chidi Okoye, lamented that the strike actions had affecting various courts and their proceedings.

Okoye said: “My case has suffered undue adjournments due to strike actions for three months now”.

Another resident, Mr Ejike Onyeama, urged the NLC to push harder for a better response of the government to the plight of Nigerian workers and the ordinary man on the streets.