All academic activities have been grounded in Enugu State as the nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, enters day 3.
Unlike Wednesday when workers partially observed the strike in the state, the industrial action has gathered momentum as pupils and students have been sent home.
All the state government owned schools, including tertiary institutions- namely the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, and College of Education (Technical), Enugu have been shut down.
Similarly, activities at the University of Nigeria as well as the Enugu State University of Science and Technology have equally been paralyzed.
It was also observed that the State Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Virginus Nwobodo led other labour leaders as early as 7 am to various institutions, Ministries and parastatals to make sure the directives from the national headquarters of the NLC were complied by workers.
Speaking to reporters during their picketing at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), the state chairman of the NLC, expressed satisfaction that workers obeyed the union’s directive, adding that the strike was over 90 percent successful in the state.
“You can see for yourself that all the schools owned by government are shut down. The teachers got the directives from us and they obeyed.
“No academic activity is going on today and it will continue indefinitely, I do not want to join issues with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) members on why they did not join the strike. All I know is that strike has commenced in Enugu State as directed and it is successful”.
Also speaking yesterday, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Abada, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) UNN disclosed that lecturers in the university had been directed to stay at home till the strike was suspended.
“Academic activities have stopped because lecturers in UNN have joined the strike.
“There will be no lecture until the national body of NLC suspends the strike.
”We have set up a committee to monitor those that will disobey the strike directive. As affiliate member of NLC, we are in full support of the strike the body declared on Wednesday, “he said.
Also, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) had withdrawn their services, as most offices were under lock and key.
An official of the union said “our members will continue to stay at home until the NLC and the government resolved their misunderstanding. Go round, you will find out that many offices are under lock and key”.
Meanwhile, business activities in commercial banks in Enugu remained open for customers, just as transporters were still in full operations in the metropolis.
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