As the nationwide strike enters Day 2 in Nigeria, the situation is getting tougher in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria as most government offices, public schools, courtrooms, and the Kwara Revenue House (KWIRS) which either operate skeletal services on Tuesday when the strike started were now completely shut down.
This is a result of the action of the State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC which began picketing establishments yet to comply with the directive of the national body on the indefinite nationwide strike, which began on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, at about 10.49 a.m., the chairman of the state chapter, Comrade Saheed Murtala Olayinka, who spoke to VON in Ilorin during a telephone conversation confirmed that they went on picketing of offices like the governor’s office that accommodates the office of the Secretary to the state government, SSG, the office of the Head of Service, HOS and those of some Special Advisers and Assistants among others.
According to him, their enforcement is meant to ensure total compliance with the directive from the national body stressing that though the strike is so far a success story, but said where there is no total compliance such as banks, they would persuade or force them out of their places of work.
The NLC boss, however, confirmed that as of the time of granting VON this interview, there were no cases of intimidation, harassment, or threat of arrest of any of its members from any of the security operatives in the state since Tuesday when the industrial action started.
Public schools, government offices, and law courts, among others, remained shut in Ilorin, the state capital but it is observed that private educational institutions and commercial and microfinance banks opened for operations.
The Union leader reiterated that the ongoing strike action is indefinite, pointing out that the attack on the number one labour leader in Nigeria, Comrade Joe Ajaero whom he said is still been hospitalised typified an attack on Nigerian workers.
Comrade Olayinka commended workers and various affiliate unions in the state for abiding strictly by the directive of the leadership of the NLC on the strike action.
Dominica Nwabufo
