Warning strike disrupts official activities at banks, fed secretariat complex in FCT

There are indications that the strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress to protest poor implementation of the subsidy removal policy appeared successful on Tuesday, the first day, as the compliance level was observed to be reasonable.

On the first day of the strike, most banks operating within the Federal Capital Territory were under lock.

Beyond some banking premises observing skeletal services, the Federal Secretariat Complex situated in the three-arms zone of the nation’s capital was desolate with very little human activities compared to a normal working day.

It was observed that the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company(AEDC), a major distributor of power in the nation’s capital, complied fully with the warning strike as most residents had no electricity supply.

Some media organisations, especially the government-owned ones were also not left out as the staff members stayed put at home in compliance with the strike.

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The entrance gate to the popular Radio House, which accommodates the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON)was locked, preventing staff from accessing the premises.

A staff of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) confirmed that nobody reported for work on Tuesday and that a similar scenario will repeat itself on Wednesday.

Recall that the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress rose from their National Executive Council meeting recently to announce a two-day warning strike beginning on Tuesday, September 5 to end on Wednesday, September 6.

Although unions affiliated to the Trade Union Congress clearly boycotted the strike, with claims that there was no urgent need for such, the strike somehow impacted negatively on social and commercial activities in Abuja.

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero had on Monday, boycotted a meeting called at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong to appeal to the conscience of the striking workers.

Labour had hinged the prevailing strike on excruciating suffering being faced by Nigerians since the removal of fuel subsidy took effect on May 29th, 2023.

While the government recently announced a N5 billion palliative to states to enable them to procure grains to distribute to citizens to cushion the effect of the subsidy policy, Ajaero dismissed the amount as being too poor to salvage the situation.