Strike: Workers in Delta shut govt offices, schools, hospitals

Civil servants in Delta State, on Monday, complied with the directives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to begin an indefinite strike.

The labour unions handed down the order over the Federal Government’s failure to approve and implement a new minimum wage for workers after the 31 May deadline.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who monitored workers’ compliance at the federal and state secretariats in Asaba at 9.00 a.m., reports that most government offices were not open.

Also, the Delta House of Assembly and the State High Court complex were closed and officials of the labour unions were seen enforcing compliance with the directive.

At the state secretariat, a security official, who did not want his name mentioned in the report, said that the gates to the premises were locked by officials of the unions on Sunday night.

He said that the labour enforcement team led by the TUC chairperson, Martin Bolum, returned this morning to check the situation at the secretariat.

Also, students of public primary and secondary schools in the state, who had gone early to school, were seen returning home due to their teachers’ compliance with the strike.

In a telephone interview, Mr Bolum told NAN that the unions’ enforcement team in the early hours of Monday picketed some banks, Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, schools and other establishments in the state capital to ensure total compliance.

NAN reports that police operatives were deployed to strategic locations in Asaba metropolis including the Federal Medical Centre to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

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(NAN)