By Anietie Akpan
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its Trade Union Congress (TUC) affiliate in Cross River state, on Monday joined her counterparts nationwide to commence an indefinite strike action to press home her demands for a good minimum wage and others.
Following the indefinite strike action, offices, banks, filling stations, schools in Calabar and other parts of the state remain under lock and key shut on Monday.
Government workers who reported for work on Monday morning returned home as they were not allowed access.
Similarly, in all the government schools, some students were seen roaming the streets of Calabar as their teachers joined in strike action.
Banks and filling stations were also closed and customers were seen hanging around hoping for a solution to transact business. Black market operators had a field day as some of them at Mobil by MCC and other places were seen doing brisk business selling fuel at between N1,200 and N1,500 per litre.
In a circular pasted at the gates of both the Federal and state secretariat complexes on Monday in Calabar, labor indicated that the strike action will be indefinite.
Also, in her notice of strike action sighted by our correspondent, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, directed her members nationwide to join the exercise.
Recall that members of the labour unions had earlier rejected the offer of N60,000 minimum wage for public servants presented by the Federal government.
In its notice of commencement of strike action, the labour unions hinged her decision among other things: on the failure of governments to agree on a new minimum wage and subsequently pass it into law before the end of May, 2024, reverse the hike in electricity tariff from N225 per kwh to N66 per kwh.
“Stop the apartheid categorization of Nigerian Electricity consumers into bands”.
A customer at one of the banks said, “I didn’t believe the strike will take place, you know how it used to be, I was thinking labour will back down that is why I came to see if the bank will open.
“ This is good provided they succeed in their demands because things are hard and Nigerians are suffering”.
A POS operator, Blessing Ojie said, ” I came to do withdrawal because I need the money to run my business today. As we speak, my customers are waiting for me. The ATM is not paying, this is so disappointing”.
A civil servant, Mrs Bebiana Ogar lamented that the strike is a good approach to calling government attention to thw sufferings of Nigerians.
She lamented, ” If the strike will bring solution, I don’t mind, I earn N67, 000 as salary, I buy basin of garri for N37,000, I buy cup of beans for N400 and rice at N550 for a cup so what are we talking about? The suffering is too much. Some people can afford it while some can’t afford it.”
One of the members of the Labour enforcement team, State Secretary, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Cross River chapter, Cletus Okay said so far, compliance from ministries and other agencies are are encouraging.
“We embark on indefinite strike beginning today, due to federal government failure to conclude negotiation on the minimum wage and the recent electricity tarrif increase.
“This strike action will make a positive impact in the development of the country. You can attest to the fact that negotiation is on going. Labour is still hopeful and it’s reporting to it’s members on how the negotiation is going.”
Most of the streets in Calabar, especially the popular Calabar road, Marian and others were less busy as a result of the strike action.
