Biodun Esan, Ilorin
Government offices in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital were on Tuesday deserted as workers complied with the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) indefinite strike action.
The leadership of the NLC has directed its workers to embark on an indefinite strike to protest the assault allegedly inflicted on its president, Joe Ajaero in Imo state to fight for the welfare of workers in the state.
The entrances leading to the state secretariat in Ilorin were under lock and key as civil servants heeded the call and stayed at home.
Also, teachers in public schools around the state secretariat were not in school, some students were seen playing in the field as their classes were also under lock and key.
The strike action did not affect most private schools as teachers were in their respective classes teaching the students.
Speaking with our Correspondent on the strike, NLC chairman, Comrade Saheed Murtala Olayinka expressed joy at the level of compliance by workers in the state.
“In Kwara State, there is compliance on the strike with the latest development I was made to understand that we have some open offices.
“We want to strategise how we are going to picket those offices. Strike has commenced fully in Kwara, we want to organize a picketing committee; we are trying to make ours to be solid,” he said.
The national leadership of the labour movement in the country had declared the nationwide strike beginning on Tuesday in reaction to the assault allegedly inflicted on the national president, Joe Ajaero while in Imo state to fight for the welfare of workers in the state.
The NLC alleged that the workers in the state were being owed 31 months’ salary while thousands were classified and declared as ghost workers, according to a statement defending the strike action.
However, in the course of the struggle for the workers’ rights and welfare, Ajaero was assaulted and hospitalized in the state.
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