Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday, sealed the state secretariat complex, Central Hospital, High Court complex and other facilities in the state in compliance with the two-day warning strike.

The state NLC Chairman, Odion Olaye, who ensured compliance, while enforcing the strike order at the state secretariats, alongside other affiliate union members, said the strike is total.

He said: “The two-day warning strike commenced today. You can see things for yourself. We are in the state secretariat of the ministries and we have shut it down.
“The state High Court has been shut down, Central Hospital, Coca-Cola, Guinness and 7Up are all shut down. In fact, all government parastatals have been shut down, including the transport sector. There is compliance.”

Olaye said that NLC doesn’t need the support of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to send their message to the Federal Government and cause the needed change, as it has the numerical strength to do that.

“TUC is not with us. They are on their own and we are not working with them on this two days warning strike.  “They only have eight unions, while NLC has 42 unions. So, we are working with that. We have shut down all the areas that are supposed to be closed, and we will take proper action against anyone who does not comply with the strike action,” Olaye said.

Meanwhile, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, commercial activities were paralysed, following the two-day warning.
The busy Port Harcourt/Aba expressway, Odili, Abuloma, Sani Abacha and the Ikwerre roads were deserted, as Banks, filling stations and other commercial institutions were closed.

Chairman of the NLC in Rivers State, Alex Agwanwor, told newsmen that the labour union would take severe action if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands after the two weeks ultimatum.

Agwanwor stated: “We are part of the strike and we complied fully. After this two-day warning strike, you know we have two weeks ultimatum, which will likely elapse by the second week of this month.”

However, the South South zonal chairman of the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), Karl Chinedu, said the rights group was not convinced with the position of NLC to embark on the warning strike.

IN Akwa Ibom State, government activities were grounded, as workers joined their counterparts nationwide in the two-day warning strike.
Gates of the Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, which houses government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as the secretariat annex, along Udo Udoma Avenue, were under lock and key.

It was gathered that leaders of organised labour, led by the state Chairman of NLC in the state, stormed the secretariat by 6:00 a.m. to ensure compliance.
This is even as workers in the state complied fully with the union’s directive by staying away from work.