Workers in most states of the federation on Wednesday shunned a directive of a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress to embark on an indefinite strike due to the increase in the pump price of petrol from N86.50 to N145 by the Federal Government.
Despite this, however, labour and civil society organisations held rallies in most states to press home their demand that the Federal Government should reverse the price hike.
There were protests on Wednesday in Lagos, Abuja, Osun, Benin and Kwara among other states in compliance with the directive of the NLC, which declared a nationwide on Tuesday
Talks between the government and organised labour collapsed on Tuesday night as representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress walked out of a meeting with a Federal Government’s delegation, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal.
President of a faction of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, had given the go ahead for the strike to commence on Wednesday after the parties in the negotiation failed to reach an amicable settlement.
The Joe Ajaero-led NLC faction and the Trade Union Congress, led by Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, had distanced themselves from the strike while the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers as well as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Association of Nigeria had last week also said the unions would not join the strike.
The Ajaero faction had earlier in the afternoon on Tuesday attended a separate meeting with the government and indicated that it would not participate in the strike.
In the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday, civil servants turned up for work at different ministries, departments and agencies.
Punch correspondents, who went round the FCT, observed that the Federal Secretariat was a beehive of activities, contrary to the directive of the Wabba-led NLC.
At the ministries of finance, budget and national planning as well as that of industry, trade and investment, workers reported for work.
Apart from civil servants, banks and other offices were opened for business as early as 8am when one of our correspondents visited the places.
Deposit money banks, located in the Central Business District, such as Guaranty Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa, First City Monument Bank, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Skye Bank Plc recorded huge number of patronage from customers.
No strike in Lagos, Kaduna, Bauchi, Niger, Rivers, Anambra, Bayelsa, Niger
In the Lagos State Government secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, workers seemed oblivious of the call to embark on strike by the NLC.
The secretariat was full of activities on Wednesday as many civil servants went about their normal business.
Also, the northern socio-cultural organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum, said the Federal Government’s deregulation policy was in order.
TheThe ACF in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim, in Kaduna, said the deregulation of the downstream oil sector was a progressive policy.
It called on the Federal Government not only to provide palliative measures that would cushion the effect of the sudden withdrawal of fuel subsidy, but also channel the gains of the deregulation into infrastructural development.
In Anambra State, banks, schools, judiciary workers and some tertiary institutions shunned the strike.
The state chairman of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, Mr Mark Ifezue, said it was improper to embark on strike when a court in the land had granted an injunction stopping the strike.
In Bayelsa State, workers defied the strike order and reported for work as usual.
The main secretariat and offices in Yenegoa, the state capital, opened for work as civil servants reported early to work.
Banks also opened for business.
In Niger State, one of our correspondents, who went round Minna, the state capital, observed that workers in the state High Court complex, the state secretariat and banks were in their offices despite the indefinite strike order.
Rivers workers stop labour from locking secretariat
There was a mild drama at the Rivers State secretariat on Wednesday as workers stopped the leadership of the NLC in the state from locking the entrance to the secretariat.
The state NLC chairman, Mrs. Beatrice Itubo, and some executive members of the union had stormed the secretariat at about 7.30am with the aim of locking up the main entrance to the place in protest against the increase in the pump price of petrol.
But some of the workers, who were at the secretariat as early as 7am, prevented her from locking the gate.
Oyo workers, hold rally, divided
Members of the organised labour in Oyo State have called on the Federal Government to reverse the price of petrol for the sake of the suffering Nigerians.
The NLC, ASUU, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, TUC, Joint Action Front, Joint Negotiating Council and others made the declaration during a rally organised in Ibadan to condemn the FG over the new price of the product.
At the state secretariat, our correspondent observed that civil servants in the state defied the nationwide strike by turning up for work as early as 7am.
Some of the workers cited the division among leaders of labour unions as reasons for their decision.
was also gathered that some of the workers decided to shun the strike because they were paid one month salary out of the salary arrears owed them by the state government on Tuesday.
While addressing members of the unions, the NLC chairman in the state, Waheed Olojede, who led the rally round the city, said it was important for the FG to have a rethink over its decision to hike the price of the product, considering the hardship that Nigerians were already going through.
ernment had offered them.
Ebonyi civil servants
Civil servants in Ebonyi State on Wednesday embarked on a low-key strike in compliance with the directive of the NLC.
However, there was confusion among the workforce in the state following a counter-directive, urging public servants to disregard the NLC order to embark on strike.
The counter order was allegedly issued by a group tagged ‘Junior Workers Union of Nigeria, Ebonyi State chapter, that was said to have become noticeable in the state in June, 2015.
The situation resulted in some government offices opening for activities while few offices were locked.
NLC paralyses Kwara civil service
The Kwara State chapter of the NLC on Wednesday morning locked the gates of the Kwara State secretariat and ministries, especially in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, to enforce the strike called by the Wabba-led NLC.
The union members also barricaded the roads leading to the state secretariat while a detachment of police officers were stationed at a junction at Ahmadu Bello Way leading to the secretariat and the state Judiciary complex.
Many civil servants, who were taken unawares, by the development and had reported for work in the morning, were stranded while some of them parked their cars close to the gates of the secretariat and discussed the development in groups.
Punch correspondent also gathered that some of the state owned tertiary institutions joined the strike. Our correspondent also sighted some of the union members as they stayed near the state NLC office at Lajorin Road, Ilorin while enforcing the strike.
The state NLC chairman, Mr. Yekini Agunbiade, while addressing the workers and journalists in Ilorin, said the state chapter was committed to sustaining the strike called by the national leadership of NLC.
PUNCH
