Abuja – The Cross River chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Wednesday called out workers for an indefinite strike over the increase in price of petrol from N86.50 to N145 by the Federal Government.
Mr John Ushie, Chairman of NLC in the state, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the directive to embark on the strike came from the national President of the NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba.
Ushie said they had no option than to embark on strike after the meetings between the labour leaders and the Federal Government ended in deadlock.
“We have no option than to embark on strike. The meetings that were held between labour and the Federal Government could not hold water.
“We are asking government to revert to the old pump price of N86.50. We did not receive any court injunction. How can the government seek for injunction when negotiations were on going?
“We have mobilised our members in the state and we are embarking on an indefinite strike starting from today”, he said.
A check by NAN at the state and federal secretariats showed that some offices were locked while a few people were seen in groups discussing the development.
One of them, who pleaded anonymity, said that he was confused whether the strike was holding or not.
According to him, he was confused because the NLC had two factions; saying that the Ajaero-led faction had disassociated itself from the strike, while the Ayuba faction insisted on the strike.
Mr Eyo Nsa-Etim, Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers in the state, told NAN that the union also received directive from their national headquarters in Abuja to embark on strike.
Nsa-Etim, who is also the Vice Chairman of NLC in the state, added that government’s primary and secondary schools in the state would remain closed until further notice.
NAN reports that banks and filling stations in the state opened for business.
Also, members of the NLC in the state marched from the Calabar Zoological Garden in Mary Slessor to the State Millennium Park.
Some workers carried placards which read: “Reverse the pump price to N86.50″, “government should listen to the voices of the masses”, “there is hunger in the land and government is increasing the price of fuel’’, among others.
The industrial court sitting in Abuja presided by Justice Babatunde Adejumo, on Tuesday barred the NLC from going on strike.
The NLC in Akwa Ibom shut offices in the State and Federal Secretariats and barred workers from entering their offices.
NAN reports that the gates of state secretariat known as Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat was locked as early as 7.30 am on Wednesday.
The situation was also the same when NAN visited the federal secretariat on Abak road in Uyo.
Union leaders were seen outside the gate of the secretariats chanting solidarity songs while workers who turned up for work could not access their offices.
A worker who preferred anonymity said she came as early as 7.30a.m., but could not enter her office.
“I learnt that labour leaders were here as early as 7a.m. to enforce the strike today.
“We wish NLC and Government would dialogue and resolve this because the strike does not benefit anybody”, the worker said.
However, teachers and pupils were seen observing their morning devotion in some public schools in the Uyo.
At the Ikot Oku Ubo Secondary School in Abak and the Primary School, Afaha Offot, Uyo, students and teachers were seen in their classes going about their normal duties.
There was no lesson for students at Government Technical College, Ewet Offot in Uyo, as teachers were confused by the court injunction slammed on NLC by the Industrial Arbitration Court.
Banks in the state capital and some cities like Eket and Abak were opened for business and fuel stations were also selling the products to motorists.
Chairman of NLC in the state, Etim Ukpong, said the strike called by Ayuba Wabba-led faction of NLC was in force.
Ukpong emphasised that workers in Akwa Ibom were on strike.
“Ayuba Wabba is the National President of NLC. He is in charge of over 40 affiliate unions; for now only electricity union and NUPENG have backed out.
He said NLC had not been served injunction of the Industrial Court restraining the NLC from calling out workers for strike as obtained by the Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami.
Secretary of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), in the state, Duncan Umanah said the strike was total.
Umanah added that only the reversal of government action on fuel pricing would stop the strike.
NAN recalls that NLC had on May 14, after their NEC meeting issued an ultimatum to Federal Government to reverse the pump price of fuel from N145 to N86.50 per litre.
In Benin, NAN reports that while civil servants reported early for work, some private schools and financial institutions opened for business.
NLC officials were on hand to prevent workers from entering their offices at the state Ministries of Information and Orientation, Water Resources and Energy and Justice on Ezoti road, Oredo Local Government and state High Court on Sapele road ,
NLC officials manned the gates to the state secretariat on Sapele road preventing workers from coming into the premises.
Some public and private schools shut their gates and sent students/pupils home.
However, academic activities were going on in some private secondary and primary schools within Benin metropolis.
Although some workers reported for duty as early as 8a.m., they were however seen discussing in groups at Government House.
Some commercial banks opened business.
There was free flow of vehicular and commuter movements within the metropolis, while police were seen at at King Square and Ramat Park.
Social and commercial activities went on unhindered in Edo North.
A NAN correspondent, who went round offices and commercial centre of Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West LGA, observed that workers shunned NLC’s strike.
Workers reported for duty while commercial banks opened for business.
It was also observed that academic activities were ongoing at secondary and higher institutions in Auchi.
Chairman of NLC in the state, Emmanuel Ademoku, attributed the workers’ defiance of its directive in some parts of the state to breakdown in communication and late announcement of the strike in Benin.
Ademoku, however, assured that the strike would be total in the coming days in the state. (NAN)
