NLC shut down Secretariat, hospital, others in Edo

From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday, shutdown the state Secretariat, Central Hospital and other facilities in the state in compliance with the two days warning strike.

Speaking with Journalists while enforcing the strike order at the state Secretariat with other union members, the state chairman of the NLC, Comrade Odion Olaye, said the strike is total.

According to him “The two days warning strike commenced today. You can see things for yourself. We are in the state secretariat of the ministry and we have shut it down. State High Court has been shut down, Central Hospital, Coca cola, Guinness , 7Up.

“In fact all government parastatals have been shut down including the transport sector. There is compliance”.

Olaye said that the NLC doesn’t need the support of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to be able to send their messages to the federal government and cause the needed change as it has the numerical strengthen to do just that.

“TUC are not with us. They are on their own and we we are not working with them on this two days warning strike.

“TUC, we don’t even count on them. They only have eight unions while NLC has 42 unions and so we are working with that and all the areas that are supposed to be shut down have been shut down and anyone that does not comply with the strike action, a proper action will be taken against them”, Olaye said.

A visit by the Daily Sun to the state Secretariat saw workers milling around while others were seen in clusters probably discussing the effects of the two days warning strike may have on the nation’s economy.