NLC officials chase workers out of offices, banks shut in Ondo

Labour leaders, on Tuesday, chased workers out of their offices at the state secretariat, Akure, to ensure compliance with the two-day warning strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the labour leaders chased out workers from their offices at the state Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health and other offices situated at Alagbaka.

The NLC Chairman, Comrade Victor Amoko, who monitored the warning strike described it as successful, saying the strike was for all Nigerian workers and not only those in Ondo State.

Amoko said that the Federal Government had done little to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal on the workers and general populace of Nigeria.

He said that the state Head of Civil Service, Mr Kayode Ogundele, had compelled the workers to report at work in spite of the call for a warning strike by the NLC.

“Our workers complied it was only that a little confusion created by the Head of Service who threatened them that he would not pay them salaries if they did not come back.

“He started writing names of workers who reported at work, which is uncalled for to us because it is not being done in Ondo State alone.

“We are not particular about the government of the state, if we are talking about this state, there is another issue on that.

“So asking them to come back because you pay their salaries is uncalled for,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Head of Service has said workers in the state were not part of the two-day warning strike declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja.

Ogundele made this position known during his routine inspection of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Akure on Tuesday.

According to him, the state NLC was yet to inform the state government of its intention to go on strike while the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had emphatically distanced itself from the strike.

Ogundele said based on the position, no worker in the state had any reason to absent himself from work under any guise or else such worker would be seen to have been absent without official permission.

According to him, absenteeism from work without permission has corresponding implication in line with extant rules in the state Public Service.

”Workers understood that TUC had declared that they are not part of the strike that was declared by the NLC.

”And I’m also happy to note that in Ondo State, NLC has not in any way officially communicated to us that they are on strike,”the HoS said.

He hinted further that the monitoring of the situation would continue later in the day and on Wednesday, calling on Accounting Officers in all MDAs to comply fully with existing rules guiding lateness and absenteeism

A staff of one of the new generation banks in Alagbaka, Akure, who spoke with NAN and did not want his name mentioned, confirmed the development.

“Our closure was to avoid any unforseen circumstances which may happened if we open for services today,” he said.

Also bank in Ikare-Akoko, the headquarters of Akoko North East Local Government were not opened for services.

Speaking with the NAN, Mr Kamil Adesina, one of the bank’s customer called on government to find lasting solution to the hardship been confronted by the members of the public in the respect of subsidy removal.

“Here in Ikare-Akoko, banks were not opened for services. I wanted to do transfer, but could not . I have visited many ATM stands and non is working or dispenss money.

“We are just begging government to fulfill its promise it made since removal of fuel subsidy because people are suffering,” Adesina said.