Banks, public schools, and government offices were closed in Osun and Ondo states as workers complied with the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress to commence an indefinite nationwide strike on Monday, June 3, 2024.

NLC had ordered workers to begin an indefinite nationwide strike following the May 31 deadline for the Federal Government to approve and implement a new minimum wage.

A last minute intervention on Sunday night by the National Assembly to prevent the nationwide strike was futile as the meeting with the government representatives and labour leaders ended in a deadlock.

The Federal Government had insisted on N60,000 as the new minimum wage, while labour demanded N495,000 as what was acceptable to the unions.

However, most banks did not open their doors to customers as the nationwide commenced on Monday.

Also, the federal and state secretariats and other government establishments in Ondo and Osun States were closed and offices deserted as workers complied with the directives of the labour unions.

Pupils of public primary and secondary schools, who went to school early, were seen returning home after they were turned back at their various school gates by teachers.

At the governor’s office in Alagbaka, Akure, there was low key activities as only few workers were seen in the premises.

ASUU joins Labour strike

In one of the commercial banks in Akure, the Ondo State capital, a staff, who did not want his name published, said the closure was in compliance with the labour unions’ directives.

“We are not open for service today and we can not actually say the day we are going to open until directives come from above,” the official told NAN.

Also speaking in Ikare-Akoko, a local government staff of Akoko North-East Local Government, Muriana Balogun, called on the Federal Government to do the needful concerning labour’s demands so that the strike would not have much impact on the nation’s economy.

Balogun, who said he could not blame the labour for the commencement of the strike, noted that there was enough time for the government to avoid the strike if it was serious about workers’ welfare.

He said: “Now that all the public schools are closed, government workers are at home, even none of the banks opened for services.

“If care is not taken, it will affect the economy. Here in Ikare-Akoko, the only people you can see working today is INEC officials for registration of PVC ahead of governorship election coming up in November.

“So, I will appeal to the government and the labour unions to have a rethink and return to the negotiation table and arrive at a consensus to move the nation forward.”

At the Osun State Government Secretariat in Abere, Osogbo, the state capital, the gates to the secretariat were locked as security operatives were stationed at the gates to prevent breakdown of law and order.

Speaking, NLC Chairman in Osun State, Christopher Arapasopo, said the directive was for all workers to stay at home and away from their offices.

Arapasopo said there would be no form of protest or rally as the instruction was just for workers to stay in their homes.

He disclosed that a monitoring and enforcement committee had been set up to go around to ensure that the directive was fully complied with.

The Star