The members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in Ondo, on Monday, chased out some workers of the state’s interval revenue to enforce the nationwide strike on the national minimum wage.
The unionists, who went around public institutions in the state mostly within Alagbaka in Akure, to ensure total compliance with the strike, locked up all the gates of the revenue offices and prevented access into the building.
Also, the NLC members prevented local government workerd from entering their office and chased out those who were already in the office as early as 8 am.
Daily Trust reports that many of the civil servants in the government offices and secretariats complied with the directive of the NLC on the nationwide strike.
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Our correspondent, who monitored the strike, observed that activities were paralysed in major banks, schools and courts.
Most of the banks located in the Alagbaka, a commercial area, shut their gates against customers in total compliance with the strike.
Addressing journalists shortly after enforcing the strike, the Chairman of the NLC in the state, Victor Amoko, said there had been total compliance with the strike, noting that both the public and private sectors were effectively shut down.
Amoko, who noted that the strike did not spare local schools and private institutions in the state, stated that the industrial action would continue until further directive from the national body.
He said the agitation for the increment in the minimum wage was in the best interest of the masses and public servants.
“We have made a good start. If you go out there, you will find that the majority of our public and private offices are closed down. We’re also making good progress as all the schools are closed down and there is no work happening,” he said.
His counterpart in the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Clement Fatuase, expressed delight in the level of compliance.
He stated that the union’s discussions with the state government, particularly regarding the exemption of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not be seen as a compromise.
According to him, both WAEC and INEC were exempted because of the ongoing examination and the preparation for the forthcoming governorship poll in the state respectively.
“So, the message is, let’s fight this once and for all and win it once and for all. Although we met with the Ondo State government yesterday (Sunday) and had extensive discussions about the strike, we granted them an exemption to ensure the completion of the WAEC and INEC officials’ work,” he said.
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