The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) announced a nationwide indefinite strike in protest of Comrade Joe Ajaero, the organization’s national president, being mistreated. The walkout has severely disrupted operations in Umuahia, the state capital of Abia State.
All NLC affiliate unions in Abia are expected to implement the industrial action, which began on Tuesday, November 14th, as per a press statement signed by Comrade Pascal Nweke, the NLC’s chairman.
The High Court and Magistrate Courts within the major buildings of the Abia State High Court complex along Ikot Ekpene Road, Umuahia, were locked when DAILY POST arrived.
Lawyers, litigants, and employees of the judiciary were observed lingering outside the main entrance.
Along with other government schools, teachers from Ibeku High School, School Road Primary School, and Primary School (1) joined the walkout.
During school hours, students from City Primary School on School Road were observed engaging in football games.
In support of the NLC mandate, employees of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) in Umuahia also joined the walkout.
However, employees of a few government buildings in Abia State only noticed a skeleton structure.
Even though several offices were still shut, our correspondent saw some public servants accessing the Michael Okpara auditorium and the offices of the Head of Service and Secretary to the Abia State government through one side of their gates.
Umuahia City was lit by electricity personnel, who removed the light around 11:10 AM.
Also, even though clients could only enter their facilities in groups, the majority of commercial banks in Umuahia were still providing regular services at the time of this report.
After making a deposit at a new generation bank on Akanu Ibiam Road in Umuahia, a bank client who talked with our reporter thanked his bank (name withheld) for opening for business and expressed his frustration with the ongoing NLC strikes.
He contended that the average man had not benefited from any of the industrial actions that organized labor had started since, in his view, they were frequently called off before reaching the desired agreement for impoverished Nigerians.
Efforts to talk with the Chairman of NLC in Abia State, Pascal Nweke regarding the degree of compliance in Abia was not successful, as his phone number could not be obtained.