The strike commenced across the nooks and crannies of Kwara state Wednesday as workers and teachers in both primary and post primary schools complied with the directive of the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) to embark on the strike over the alleged refusal of the federal government to reduce the pump price of petrol from N145 per liter to N86 per liter despite the court order that stopped the union from embarking on the strike.
Vanguard’s visit to the state secretariat along Ahmadu Bello way, Ilorin and other ministries, indicated that workers that arrived early enough for their duties were prevented by the labour leaders in the state from getting into their various duty posts.
Consequently,some stayed by the road sides discussing the development in groups while others went home.
Also at bank road, along Unity and Taiwo area of Ilorin, some banks were seen running skeletal business for customers while some closed their offices for fear of being hijacked by some unscrupulous elements.
Furthermore, some of the schools visited by our correspondent showed that, gates of some schools were closed against the students while the students were seen returning back to their different homes.
Some fuel stations owned by independent marketers were still under locked and key in Ilorin and other major towns in the state over the alleged rumour that the federal government may acede to the demand of labour leaders to reduce petrol pump price of N145 per litre.
There were vehicular movements within and outside the state as taxi and Okada operators were seen operating their business without any hindrance.
Speaking with journalists on the development , the state chairman of NLC, Comrade Yekeen Agunbiade said that,”the strike was in line with the directive of the national secretariat of the NLC to go on strike over the non readiness of the government to acede to the labour demand to reduce pump price of petrol.
He explained that,”the workers are co-operating with NLC and the strike will continue until the government acede to the NLC demands”.
Agunbiade added,”it is disheartening that this government of APC led federal government promised positive change and now trying to bring hardship to us and workers would not support the move at all cost”.
Also, the state chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT) Alhaji Musa Abubakar said that the teachers are compling with the strike order.
He noted that , “though, the leadership of the NUT got the information on strike late but we have compelled all our teachers in all the 16 local government councils to stay away from schools with immediate effect”.
“I can assure you that as from tomorrow,all the teachers across the state would have been duly informed and fully complied with the strike order and stay at home” he added.
The state commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ajeikigbe in his reaction said that, “it was disturbing that the labour leaders in the state are preventing workers from entering their offices in the name of joining the strike action despite the court injunction”.
He added that, “Strike is not the last option on this issue, the labour leaders should continue to engage in dialogue in order to resolve the impasse”.
Ajeigbe however appealed to the labour leaders to call off their strike so as to move the nation forward.
Recall that the state NLC and TUC on Tuesday issued a joint press statement in Ilorin that workers should stay at home on Wednesday as they would not be allowed to their duty posts in line with the directive of the national leadership of NLC to go on strike over the non refusal of the federal government to acede to the NLC demand to reduce the pump price of petrol from N145 per liter to N86 per liter.