On Tuesday, workers in Kogi State unequivocally complied with the indefinite strike action declared nationwide by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The distinctive absence of bustling activities characterised most offices in Lokoja and other parts of the state, as they were firmly secured and devoid of human presence.
A visit by Media Talk Africa to the State Secretariat in Lokoja revealed a mass exodus of workers who had hastily departed their posts upon learning of the NLC and TUC’s proclamation of an indefinite nationwide strike. This action was triggered by the untold hardships stemming from the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidies and the alleged mistreatment of NLC President Joe Ajaero in Imo State.
Speaking on behalf of the TUC, Comrade Tijani Ahmed Sule, the Kogi State Chairman, decried the Federal Government’s perceived injustice towards Nigerian workers in light of the hardships exacerbated by the fuel subsidy removal.
Sule emphatically declared that the strike action would persist until the unions’ demands are satisfactorily addressed, emphasising the urgent need for the government to implement measures to alleviate the impact of fuel subsidy removal.
“The nationwide directive for all workers to engage in an indefinite strike is in solidarity with the unfolding events involving NLC President Joe Ajaero in Imo State. Furthermore, it is a response to the widespread outcry of workers following the fuel subsidy removal across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” Sule stated.
“It is imperative to highlight that some states have yet to implement the N35,000 minimum wage, let alone engage with union leadership. This is regrettable and disheartening, especially given the prevailing economic adversities in Nigeria,” he lamented.
“The strike is a testament to the unjust treatment suffered by both NLC President and the Nigerian populace, all stemming from the subsidy removal. The disdainful attitude of the current administration towards our collective plight, amidst the hardships induced by the fuel subsidy removal, has compelled us to take this decisive action. The NLC and TUC have diligently conducted oversight, and workers are now well-informed and in compliance with the indefinite strike,” he affirmed.
