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“The Nigeria Labour Congress initiated a strike to protest the Federal Government’s failure to provide relief measures after the removal of fuel subsidies. This strike significantly affected economic activities in numerous states, but employees in Lagos, Sokoto, and Katsina states chose not to participate.

In Lagos, Sokoto, Katsina, Delta, Bayelsa, and Ogun states, banks, financial institutions, and the civil service continued their operations, defying the NLC’s call for a shutdown.

However, the two-day strike, which began on Tuesday, had a profound impact on the Federal Capital Territory and several other states. Banks, government ministries, agencies, and departments were closed to the public.

Furthermore, workers from various power companies, represented by the National Union of Electricity Employees, also joined the strike on Tuesday, leading to disruptions in electricity supply nationwide. Power distribution companies apologized to their customers for the inconvenience.

The NLC leadership had previously stated that this two-day warning strike was a prelude to a complete shutdown planned to commence in 21 days.”

“The National Executive Council decided on this course of action during its meeting held last Friday. In a communiqué jointly signed by the National President, Joe Ajaero, and Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, the labor center expressed its decision to proceed with the strike due to the Bola Tinubu government’s failure to engage in dialogue and involve stakeholders from organized labor in addressing the impact of the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol, affecting the masses.

Efforts by the Federal Government to halt the strike on Monday proved unsuccessful, as NLC leaders did not attend a meeting with the Minister of Information, Mallam Mohammed Idiris, and his counterpart from the Ministry of Labor, Simeon Lalong.

While the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees had announced their intention to join the strike due to the challenging economic situation in the country, visits to several bank branches on Lagos Island confirmed that they did not participate in the industrial action.”

Bank workers
First Bank Plc branches, including its headquarters, a Union Bank branch, Wema Bank, and Polaris Bank, served their customers. While the First Bank head office and Abibu Oki branch on Marina were accessible to the public, a security guard at a First Bank branch on Customs Street initially prevented entry due to the strike but later allowed customers in upon insistence.

Meanwhile, the Polaris Bank branch on Broad Street was awaiting strike directives but remained operational. A bank employee stated that they would continue working until instructed otherwise.

Operations at Wema Bank on Broad Street and Union Bank at Tinubu Square proceeded without interruption.

In the aviation sector, workers at the Lagos airport chose not to participate in the strike due to an impending audit by the United Nations agency and the International Civil Aviation Authority, aiming to avoid potential repercussions for Nigeria.

However, the strike had a full impact at Lagos Ports, as the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria shut down port operations. Apapa and Tincan Island Ports gates were reported to be locked as part of the strike action.

Furthermore, the Mile 2 expressway experienced a complete shutdown as commercial vehicles refused to transport passengers, causing disruptions in some offices located in the Apapa area.

Providing an update on the strike, Nnadi Ugochukwu, the National Deputy President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, mentioned that containers cleared early Tuesday morning were unable to leave the ports due to the closure of the main gate at Tincan Island Port.

Similarly, Frank Obiejesi, a former Apapa Chapter Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, confirmed that there were no ongoing activities at Apapa ports; it had been completely shut down.

However, regular day-to-day operations continued at the Lagos State secretariat in Alausa when our correspondent visited on Tuesday. An anonymous official at the secretariat stated that civil servants in the state had no reason to participate in the strike.

Lagos civil servants
He stated, “Most of the NLC’s demands were already addressed by the state government even before the labor union initiated its protest. For instance, salary increases for workers, a demand by the NLC, had already been implemented in Lagos State. Additionally, palliatives, including a 50% reduction in bus fares and transportation provided for workers, have been provided. The distribution of food palliatives was recently launched by the governor. So, there’s no justification for civil servants in the state to join the strike.”

Another civil servant, speaking anonymously, simply said, “We have no reason to participate in the strike.”

When contacted, Mrs. Agnes Sessi, the Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the NLC, clarified that members of the union in the civil service were part of the strike, while those seen not participating might be management staff or members of the TUC, which was not part of the strike.

In Sokoto, the majority of civil servants went to work, and most banks in the city were open for business. The Federal secretariat in the state also had employees present, and state workers were on duty at both the Usmanu Farouk and Gingiya secretariats.

However, at 2 pm on Tuesday, union leaders visited banks and government offices to enforce strike compliance. A union leader explained, “We had to visit these banks to ensure they adhere to the warning strike as directed by the labor union.”

In Katsina, workers also reported for work, and government offices, general hospitals, and federal teaching hospitals were operational. The strike seemed to have failed due to senior civil servants’ affiliation with the Trade Union Congress, which opposed the strike.

A minor incident occurred at the state secretariat’s main gate when police and civil defense personnel initially prevented workers from entering. The TUC state chairman, Muntari Ruma, intervened and allowed senior officers on Grade Level 07 and above to access their offices. The state Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Musa, stated that the security personnel were there to protect government property.

Commercial banks in Ilorin, Kwara state, initially opened but later closed their gates in compliance with the NLC directive. Compliance with the strike in Kwara State was mixed, with some banks joining later in the day.

In Abuja, several MDAs shut down as workers observed the warning strike. The Federal Secretariat and Radio House, housing Ministry of Information and National Orientation agencies, were deserted. Banks in the area were also closed.

In Jos, Plateau State, full compliance with the industrial action was observed. NLC officials locked the gates of the Federal Secretariat early in the morning, preventing workers from accessing their offices. Many banks in Jos and other parts of the state did not open their doors to customers in compliance with the strike.

Warri port blocked
Officials of the NLC enforced the strike in Delta State and prevented workers from going to their offices.

The NPA workers in Warri were blocked from accessing their offices by the union officials sporting white polo shirts and face caps.

The NPA workers in Warri were blocked from accessing their offices by the union officials sporting white polo shirts and face caps.

The strike partly paralysed commercial activities in the Enugu metropolis as only a few businesses were open to the public.

Public offices locked up included the courts, banks, and other financial institutions.

But senior officials were seen going about their duties at the Federal and Enugu State Secretariats.

However, there was ongoing vehicular movement and traders were seen going about their daily activities.
Workers in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, stayed away from office even as public schools were shut but a few banks opened for business.

The same scenario was observed in Minna, Niger State where the public workers down tools in protest over the alleged failure of the government to distribute palliatives.

Notwithstanding the strike, GTB, Access Bank, and other banks recorded huge customers who trooped into their banking halls to carry out transactions.

“We are not part of the warning strike. That is why you can see us working,’’ a bank worker explained.

The state NLC Chairman, Idrees Lafene declared, “There is compliance by the banks. We are just coming from some of the banks. But if you say some banks did not comply, we are going to compel them to comply.”

In Osogbo, Osun State, members of the National Union of Electricity Employees also joined the warning strike.

Some workers of Osogbo Region Transmission Company of Nigeria were locked out of the premises while some banks were firmly shut.
Vice President West, NUEE Sodiq Adewale, said, ‘’Presently, in compliance with the NLC directive, we are mandated to embark on a warning strike which started today and will continue tomorrow. As you can see, the whole place is under lock. Nobody is coming in and as time goes on, we are going to be reviewing our activities at the level of our actions.

“So far from our end, we have total compliance. Nobody is saying there is going to be a disruption of power, but our men are out. We are not tampering with anything.’’

In Ondo State, the NLC and the Head of Service engaged in a verbal exchange over a directive by the Head of Service, Mr Kayode Ogundele, directing workers to ignore the strike.

Ogundele had during a routine inspection of the MDAs in Akure noted that the state NLC was yet to inform the state government of its intention to go on strike.

But the chairman of the state NLC, Victor Amoko, in a statement, expressed displeasure over the alleged directive of the HoS.

“The Labour unions under NLC shall take on the HoS and call on the Acting Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and the SA on Union Matters and Special Duties, Mr Dare Aragbaiye to call Mr Ogundele to order before he truncates the existing labour harmony in the state,’’ it read.

Academic activities were grounded at the Bayero University Kano as the Academic Staff Union of Universities branch of the university joined the industrial action.
Checks showed that the lecture halls were deserted by both lecturers and students as a result of the strike.

It was the same story at the two state-owned universities, Maitama Sule University and Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil.

In Benin City, commercial banks, fuel stations, and government parastatals including hospitals complied with the warning strike which paralysed activities in the city.

On Akpapava Road, Wema Bank, Access Bank, and First Bank on Ring Road were closed to customers but the Automated Teller Machines were dispensing money to customers.

The NNPC Limited and Raptors fuel stations on Sapele Road were locked as customers.

Other companies like Guinness, the 7Up bottling plant, and the Central Park in Benin City were shut down by the protesting NLC members led by the state Chairman, Odion Olaye.

Commercial activities in Port Harcourt and its environs were grounded. Courts along the stretch of Azikiwe and Bank Roads were not open, while Access Bank, UBA, First Bank, and Polaris Bank along Ikwerre Road were also closed to customers.
The same situation was recorded in Kaduna as the strike crippled socio-economic activities across the metropolis.

The strike recorded full compliance as government offices, banks, and other financial institutions, especially along the ever-busy Ahmadu Bello Way, Yakubu Gowon Way as well Kachia Road, were shut.

Speaking with The PUNCH, the National Assistant Secretary General of Nigeria Labour Congress, Christopher Onyeka, said, the report that he got indicated that the strike was successful.

He stated, ‘’In a situation like this, we expect one or two defaulters either because of communication issues but towards the end of the day, all those issues were resolved, and the strike proceeded as expected.’’

‘’In fact, our expectations were exceeded in all ramifications, and NLC knows that the right message has been sent to the government and we have achieved all of the objectives on the first day of the warning strike.’’