The Federal Secretariat in Abuja was deserted on Tuesday as many civil servants shunned work in adherence to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) directive to commence an indefinite national strike.
The leadership of both unions resolved at an extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting last week to embark on an indefinite strike to protest the brutalisation of the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State.
According to the joint statement they signed after the meeting, the workers were expected to withdraw their services from midnight on Monday.
When PREMIUM TIMES visited the ever-busy Federal Secretariat on Shehu Shagari Way at about 9 a.m., a few workers reported for work, apparently in defiance of the unions’ directive.
Some of the federal ministries and agencies located at the secretariat are Health and Social Welfare, Education, Niger Delta, Power, Labour and Employment, Nigeria Law Reform Commission and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
Also, at the Federal Ministry of Finance located a few kilometres away and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in Area 11, Garki, this newspaper observed that some leaders of the unions were chasing workers away and asking them to return home.
Tired of incessant strikes
However, some workers kept coming in despite efforts to restrain them.
Those who reported for work quickly returned to their homes after a short time.
One of the workers at the FCTA told PREMIUM TIMES that he was tired of daily industrial action embarked on by the unions because they could not separate themselves from politics.
He said there are so many problems within the ministries begging for the attention of the unions, but the leadership had chosen to turn a blind eye to them.
He said most workers get daily ‘tips’ in their respective offices, but the unions want them to remain in a state of penury by asking them to stay away from work.
He stressed that the unions should reconsider their stand since the government has implemented the N35,000 minimum wage to avoid losing relevance.
“The reason Nigeria Labour Congress cannot succeed is because they’re yet to separate themselves from politics.
“There are so many irregularities happening under their watch in ministries that they are expected to fight against. Besides, so many workers are getting daily tips to ease their burden when they come to work.
“Nobody is going to take them seriously. Government has implemented the N35,000 minimum wage already. If we keep shutting down, what will ordinary citizens that are not even collecting that money do?” he added.
A female worker at the health ministry, who did not want her name mentioned to avoid victimisation, said she did not know about the strike before she boarded a vehicle this morning.
She said that everyone is tired of the unions’ frequent industrial actions. She called on the government to heed the cry of the workforce by implementing their grievances through the unions.
Some banks and filling stations in the Central Business District (CBD) visited by this newspaper opened for business, an indication that members of some affiliated unions such as NUPENG and NUBIFIE did not join the protests.
Filling stations, bank operating
For instance, the NNPC filling station by the National Hospital in Abuja was dispensing petroleum products at the time of our visit.
Similarly, customers were seen moving in and out of the TAJ and Zenith Banks close to the National Mosque unhindered to transact business.
Kaduna
Workers in Kaduna State observed partial compliance to the directive by the organised labour.
A News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who monitored the situation in the North-west state, said some workers were seen doing their normal routine jobs in their various offices at the Maccido Dalhat Secretariat popularly known as State Secretariat.
Also, primary and secondary schools as well as tertiary institutions like the Kaduna Polytechnic were open for business and lectures were ongoing.
A civil servant with the Ministry of Health who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimisation, said that state’s workers’ demands were mostly not met after any industrial action hence the non-compliance.
“It’s like we are only showing solidarity to the federal government workers and after their demands are met, we will be asked to settle with our state government.
“At the end, we just suffer strike without achieving anything,” he said.
Similarly, Abdullahi Isah a retiree-cum-businessman, said the harsh economic situation contributed to the lack of compliance.
According to him, people are yet to see the benefits of embarking on nationwide strikes, adding, “that is why you see people going about their normal businesses to earn their daily bread.”
Meanwhile, Kaduna Electric has closed its offices in compliance to the strike offering only essential services.
Taraba
Workers in Taraba went about their normal schedules on Tuesday in defiance of an indefinite nationwide strike called NLC and TUC.
NAN reported that government offices in Jalingo, the state capital, were fully operational as civil servants reported for duty.
Tanimu Musa, a civil servant, said the strike was counterproductive.
Mr Musa noted that the federal and state governments had demonstrated their commitment to ameliorate hardships faced by workers and by the Nigerian masses.
He said the federal government, for instance, provided palliatives and increased wages, while Taraba had also been paying the N30,000 minimum wage.
Another civil servant, Joel Yakubu, said, however, that an NLC team was going round to enforce the strike order.
“State workers are yet to receive their October salary which the governor ordered that must be paid on the basis of the N30,000 minimum wage.
“The order delayed the October salary as fresh vouchers needed to be raised to reflect the wage increase.
“It is arguable that shunning the strike is a decoy by Taraba workers so they would not extend the payday unnecessarily.”
Plateau
Workers in Plateau State have complied with the industrial action.
NAN correspondent, who monitored the strike on Tuesday in Jos, observed that government offices, as well as private businesses were shut down in compliance with the strike.
The correspondent, who was at the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Headquarters, observed that the gate was locked, as workers were turned away by union officials at the gate to ensure compliance.
The situation was not different at the Plateau State Secretariat, where a team of NLC/TUC leaders sealed the gate to prevent workers from gaining access.
No worker was seen at the premises of Plateau State High Court, as the workers remained at home.
NAN also observed that some commercial banks in the metropolis did not open for business.
Eugene Manji, Plateau NLC Chairman, told NAN that the labour union set up a monitoring team that was going around organisations to ensure compliance.
“As you can see, we are in front of the Joseph Gomwalk Secretariat (State Secretariat), the seat of administration of Plateau Government, and no worker has gone in.
“Most of the institutions have complied, but our monitoring team is going around the metropolis to ensure comprehensive and total compliance.
“We have a snag in some places where some workers, especially those in commercial banks, claimed that they were not aware of the strike. You will not blame them because the decision was finalised late last night,’’ he added.
Chairman, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPTRE), ITF Chapter, Daniel Mudima, told NAN that they received directives from their national secretariat to ensure compliance.
Mr Mudima said that they would sustain the exercise until further directive from their headquarters.
He urged the workers to remain at home pending the suspension of the strike.
Ondo
Pupils and students of public schools in Akure, the Ondo State capital, were on Tuesday sent home following the directive by the organised labour that workers should embark on indefinite strike.
NAN reported that scores of public schools’ pupils and students were seen leaving their school premises for their various homes.
It also reported that filling stations, however, were open for business in the metropolis.
Although most offices in the state secretariat, Alagbaka, were opened, workers were not attending to visitors and government business.
Some banks were also opened for business and some had their gates locked.
Speaking with NAN, Wasiu Adeyemi, a bank customer, expressed disappointment in the selective attendance by the banks.
He said that the banks only allowed those that came for deposit, while those with complaints were not allowed entry.
I was in the bank this morning and to my surprise, I was not allowed to enter until I told the security man in the bank that I wanted to deposit a cheque of N2 million before I was allowed,’’ he lamented.
Clement Fatuase, Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Ondo State, who spoke with NAN, expressed optimism about the ongoing industrial action.
Mr Fatuase, who explained that strike, being the commencement, was still complied with in the state, said that other affiliate unions and workers would join the strike as it progressed.
“At least today is day one. The compliance is okay. The strike is at least, averagely effective.
“Anyway, we are issuing a press release as regards the strike,” he said.
Bauchi
Workers in Bauchi defied the indefinite nationwide strike.
Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who monitored the strike in Bauchi, reported that academic activities and business transactions continued unhindered in schools, hospitals and banks in the metropolis.
At Government Day Junior Secondary School, Gwallameji and Sa’adu Zungur Secondary School, Bauchi, teachers and students were seen taking lessons in classes.
Abubakar Sadiq, an instructor in the school, said that they were yet to receive formal or written directives on the strike.
“We are under the state government and we are still waiting for a circular informing us to embark on the strike.
“We can’t just go on strike without receiving a circular to that effect, hence normal academic activities will continue in the schools.
“Students’ attendance is 100 per cent just like any other day,” he said.
Also, normal services continued at Yelwa Labourer Primary Healthcare Centre and health facilities in the metropolis.
However, the strike paralysed services in schools, clinics, banks and other financial institutions in Kano.
NAN reports that few workers reported to work at the state and federal government’s secretariats in partial compliance to the industrial action.
Students of public primary and secondary schools were sent home in compliance with the strike.
The strike also paralysed the ongoing First Semester examination at the Bayero University Kano.
Similarly; some of the banks were also closed with a handful of them running skeletal services.
The NLC Chairman in the state, Kabiru Inuwa, said that they were working to ensure full compliance with the strike.
“We are monitoring compliance as our officials are at the state secretariat to ensure workers do not resume in their offices,” he said.
He said the industrial action achieved 75 per cent compliance in the state.
Sokoto
Workers in Sokoto State on Tuesday defied the directives of the NLC and TUC proceeding with their official duties.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that routine operations were conducted at the federal and state ministries, banks, and schools.
Ismail Dayyabu, a classroom teacher, said that they were not served notice of the strike and they were only aware of a court order restraining the union from striking.
“We can do nothing but wait for proper communication. That’s why we went to work as usual, with no official engagements halted,” he explained.
Similarly, Bala Dankasuwa, a trader, said he was ignorant of any strike action, emphasising that their leaders had not communicated such a decision.
The NLC and TUC, Sokoto State chapters have assured their commitment to enforcing total compliance with the nationwide strike in the state.
Hamisu Hussain, the state NLC secretary, acknowledged the delayed communication of the strike information to workers in the state.
He explained, “Due to the delayed notice, many workers in banks and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) could not join the strike today.
“However, I can assure you that by tomorrow, we will have total compliance as we have notified all of them. No excuse will be accepted,” he said.
Bello Garba, the state TUC secretary, condemned the alleged assault on Mr Ajaero, during the union’s rally in Imo.
Mr Garba warned that such incidents could recur nationwide, if not properly addressed, while assuring the strike will be enforced on all workers in the state.
Nasarawa
NAN correspondent who visited Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Nasarawa State observed that there was partial compliance with the strike as workers offered skeletal services.
Some of the workers who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that their leaders in the state were yet to direct them to comply.
