Kwara State Observe Strike

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.

Recent 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”. He therefore urged the workers to continue to support the protest so as to ‎force the government to reduce the pump price of petrol.