ACTIVITIES were on Monday paralysed at the federal and state secretariats in Ibadan, in compliance with the directives of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on commencement of an indefinite nationwide strike.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the labour unions called for a nationwide strike over the breakdown in the minimum wage negotiations by a tripartite committee constituted by the Federal Government in January.
The leadership of the labour unions had, on May 1, given the federal government up till May 31 to complete negotiations on the new minimum wage, failure of which they might not be able to guarantee industrial peace in the country.
NAN also reports that the main gate of the federal secretariat in Ibadan was under lock and key, while security patrol from the Nigeria Police Force were seen stationed close to the entrance of the secretariat to maintain peace and order.
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A private security guard, who preferred anonymity, said that no worker was permitted to enter the secretariat premises, as the few ones who came early in the morning were asked to return home by union leaders.
NAN reports that the strike had affected normal business activities in and around the secretariat, as some food vendors were seen lamenting that they had already prepared food to sell, thinking that the strike might not be effective.
At the state secretariat, the entrance was manned by men of the Nigeria Police Force and Amotekun, with their vehicles positioned strategically.
The main gate was, however, open for anyone to access the secretariat, while the access road from the flyover was under lock and key.
NAN reports that the strike was partially observed, as some workers were seen doing skeletal duties in their offices.
Some of the workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were on ground to do one or two things, though they acknowledged that the strike was still on.
NAN observed that some Amotekun personnel were strategically stationed in front of the state House of Assembly, with their vehicles on ground.
Meanwhile, passengers trying to board flights from Ibadan airport, Alakia to Abuja were, on Monday, stranded due to the nationwide strike embarked upon by Nigerian workers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the main entrance of the airport was under lock and key, while no vehicular movement was allowed into the airport premises.
NAN also reports that the chopper carrying the Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Kayode Egbetokun, was billed to land at the airport on Monday morning, with the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Adebola Hamzat, scheduled to welcome him.
However, Hamzat’s convoy, which was almost denied access to the airport, was later allowed in to pick the I-G.
Speaking with NAN, one of the stranded passengers at the airport, Mrs Bolanle Ehinfun, said the strike should have been prevented by the Federal Government because the organised labour had given them enough time.
Ehinfun, a retired banker, said that she had been at the airport since 8 a.m., saying that she spent about N10,000 on her transportation to the place.
“Now, they are saying the flight is cancelled due to the strike and this will cost me another N10,000 to go back home.
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“I have also spent N5,000 on feeding at the airport before they announced the cancellation of the flight.
“Government is not considering the masses,” she said.
Ehinfun, who noted that the strike had disrupted many businesses, said government should have considered the implication of the industrial action and prevent it.
Also speaking, one of the passengers who preferred anonymity, said she was going to Abuja for a training-the-trainer programme on Citizens’ Mobility and Mortality in Nigeria.
The passenger said that the programme could not start because he was the master trainer and could not go.
He said though the organised labour had a point on their demands for the new minimum wage, they should not have shut down the airport and other essential services.
“The N60,0000 minimum wage proposed by the federal government is too small; even N100,000 is small,” he said.
According to him, President Bola Tinubu is trying but the state governors are not helping matters by not using the resources coming to their states to better the lives of the masses. (NAN)
