• Abuja airport, parliaments, secretariat too • Partial compliance in Osun
From Fred Itua, Ndubuisi Orji, Okwe Obi, Jude Idu, Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja and Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Commercial, political and social activities were disrupted across the country, yesterday, following the industrial action by the organised labour.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), last week, announced plans to embark on an indefinite strike for failure of the Federal Government’s to increase the proposed minimum wage from N60,000 to N494,000.
In Abuja, the gates of the National Assembly were locked. The union leaders resisted a move by some staff members to reopen it.
At the federal secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, civil servants were prevented from entering the complex by personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Those who initially gained access into the premises were police officers and personnel of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and staff members of some non-governmental organisations domiciled in the building. But, some members of the union, who stormed the complex to monitor compliance, insisted that everybody must step out. The directive was largely complied with.
Some civil servants claimed they were not aware of the strike, stating that there was no official memo to that effect.
Daily Sun observed that students in public primary and secondary schools were sent home.
In fact, at Government Secondary School, Wuse zone 6, the gate was opened as students moved out of school premises in droves while teachers clustered to discuss the disruption of academic activities.
Similarly, at Radio Nigeria, the gate was locked. Only staff on grade level 15 and above were allowed access to their offices.
At about 7am, the entrance of the Court of Appeal was blocked by the leadership of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) as they maintained that the strike was indefinite, despite an earlier warning handed down by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
JUSUN leader, Mohammed Danjuna Yusuf, told Daily Sun that there was a 100 percent compliance to the call by the labour unions.
“As far as the unions are concerned, we do not know what the Attorney General is talking about. But, we can say that the labour union has given the FG till May 31 to implement the new minimum wage or they would embark on industrial action and that is what has taken effect today.
“As you can see, no member of staff is allowed to gain entrance into the office, not even the Chief Judge.”
The Ministry of Transportation/ Maritime and Blue Economy, was not left out as there was a total shutdown of activities because the labour union disrupted power supply.
A civil servant told Daily Sun that only one director was allowed to pick up his personal belongings.
The story was the same at the Federal Ministry of Finance. It was like a graveyard.
A labour leader, Mohammed Abdullahi, who supervised the industrial action at the entrance gate, said: “They are fighting for our rights and as you can see, the labour has withdrawn its services till the government thinks otherwise.”
The NNPC Towers was not left out of the blockade as PENGASSAN and other petroleum workers’ unions barricaded the entrance gate as early as 7.50am to enforce compliance. Only people on essential duties were allowed into the offices.
The ministry of Women Affairs was also shut down as only police officers and a few members of labour unions were seen at the gate.
Also, the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) locked down the entrance of the secretariat.
President of JUAC, Mrs. Rifkatu Lortyer, explained that JUAC, being part of the labour unions, had no choice but to fully enforce the strike.
“My advice to the FCTA workers is simple: stay at home and be the obedient workers you’ve always been. The strike action is in the interest of the Nigerian workers,” she said.
Members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), an affiliate of the NLC, laid siege to the entrance and exit of the National Assembly.
When Daily Sun visited the National Assembly, the main entrance into the parliament was under lock and key. In addition, two coaster buses were packed across the locked gates, with some policemen stationed in front of the gates.
Similarly, access into the National Assembly through the annex and the back gate connecting the Presidential Villa were also locked.
Workers and legislative staff, who turned up for duty could not gain access into the National Assembly Complex, as all the entrances in the parliament were blocked. While some of the workers turned back immediately, others were seen hanging around by the security post at the main entrance.
Some of the public and investigative hearings scheduled by the House of Representatives, including the “Revenues Monitoring Exercise” organised by the House Committee on Finance, were called off as a result of the strike.
The situation was not also different at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. It was observed that intending passengers travelling by air could no longer gain access to the airport, following a blockade by the striking workers.
However, public schools, hospitals and some banks were shut in Osun State in compliance with the national industrial action embarked upon by the labour union.
Though some banks collected deposits as partial transaction was observed in some banks visited by our correspondent while others were shut completely.
The state governor’s office was firmly locked as some workers that arrived around 8am turned back having found the main entrance shut.
At the state government hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, some patients on admission were discharged while some women who had just delivered babies were attended to.
At the university teaching hospital, it was observed that patients were discharged and workers were asked to go home in compliance with the national directives.
Findings showed that the labour leaders in the hospital had a meeting with the staff in the morning and told them that only the directors and casual workers are to remain in the hospital.