Schools, courts, offices shut as workers commence indefinite strike in Ogun

Civil servants in Ogun state, on Tuesday, commenced an indefinite strike over the alleged non-remittance of 21-month deductions from their salaries, among other issues.

Several offices at the state secretariat complex, Oke Mosan, were locked and the secretariat deserted, but top civil servants like permanent secretaries and directors resumed at their duty posts.

On Monday, Emmanuel Bankole, chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ogun state chapter, announced the indefinite strike during a meeting with workers at the state secretariat.

Bankole criticised Dapo Abiodun, governor of the state, over his alleged failure to address workers’ plight despite several calls for negotiation.

The strike was declared after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the governor to address the grievances of the workers over the “non-payment of eight-year statutory leave allowances and breach of the State Pension Reform Law, 2006 (amended 2013) in the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme”, among other demands.

According to NAN, one of the two entrance gates at the secretariat was locked, while the second was opened to allow only top civil servants enter.

In some schools in Ogun, students were seen returning to their homes after being sent back by NLC officials who were going round to enforce compliance with the directive.

At the state high court, Kobape, and the magistrate’s court at Isabo, the offices were closed, while some litigants were seen going about outside the court premises.

The strike also affected activities in some council areas in the state.

Speaking on the development, Samson Oyelere, the state secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), told NAN that the strike remains total and indefinite, adding that the reason for the industrial action is to drive home workers’ request for improved welfare in Ogun.

“The strike is total and it is gradually gathering momentum, because the news might not have gone that viral as such. However, within the next two days, it will be more assertive,” he said.

“We know that it will affect vital establishments like hospitals and schools, and for this reason, the citizens will also bear the brunt of the strike. It’s not about the citizens; it’s about the government of the day. We need to challenge the government to do the needful,” he said.

“I have visited hospitals, schools, local government areas and the state secretariat. It is total compliance, because the strike was not declared by the leadership, but by the parliament of workers in the state.

“We carried the workers along and we did what they wanted. I only want to appeal to the government to please look into the demands and do the needful.”