Workers in Nigeria have downed tools across the nation as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) begin their industrial action over the hike in electricity tariff and failure of government to fix a new minimum wage.
While the National Assembly had stepped in at the last minute to avoid the industrial action declared on Friday, the discussions ended in a stalemate, leading to the commencement of the strike.
The industrial action has affected businesses and critical services across the country including schools, hospitals, and power supply as workers complied with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) order.
From River State in the South-South region to Kaduna in Nigeria’s North-West, the workers’ actions grounded economic activities.
Activities were halted at airports across the country including Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Lagos.
At the Port Harcourt Airport, as early as 7:00 am, airport workers under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) blocked access into the airport for vehicles.
This left passengers stranded, forcing some of them to come down from their vehicles and trek into the airport
Activities were equally paused in schools. Across the country, students who were already in school were sent back.
The situation was the same in Oyo, Cross River, and other states.
In Kaduna, students of the Kaduna Polytechnic were locked out of their campus by labour officials in compliance.
As early as 7 am, union officials stormed the Unguwan Rimi Campus of the school. They drove the students out of the institution and locked the gate.
Labour leaders in Kaduna also sealed the main gate of the National Ear Care Centre. They chased out the workers and also prevented out-patients from getting into the hospital.
Early Monday, the national grid was shut down by workers, throwing the nation into a blackout.
The General Manager (Public Affairs) of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Ndidi Mbah said the nationwide blackout was due to staff of the TCN, under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Workers (NUEE), completely shutting down all power substations across the country at approximately 2:19 am on Monday, causing the national grid system to drop to zero megawatts.
In compliance with the NLC/TUC order, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) also shut down operations at the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO).
The Kaduna State Chairman of the TUC Abdullahi Danfulani said all affiliate unions are complying totally with the strike and won’t back down until the Federal Government does the needful.
