Students and pupils of public schools in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, were sent home on Tuesday following the nationwide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) observed that students from various public primary and secondary schools were seen on the roads and streets, heading back home.
At CAC Grammar School, Gbodofon, Osogbo, the gate was left wide open as students were moving out of the school premises while some teachers were seen gathered under a tree, holding discussions.
Similarly, some banks in Osogbo refused to open their doors to customers, while some were sceptical about opening and few opened for business transactions.
Many offices at the state secretariat in Abere were deserted, with few workers observed going into and moving about within the secretariat.
A staff member of the secretariat, who spoke to NAN under anonymity, said the strike had yet to take shape, and that if it was like the previous nationwide strikes, the gates to the secretariat would have been shut with members of the NLC and other labour unions blocking the gates.
Security personnel were seen stationed at the secretariat entrance, likewise at some strategic locations in Osogbo.
Modupeola Oyedele, Osun State NLC Caretaker Chairperson, told NAN that the strike complied with the directive from the NLC and TUC headquarters.
‘No street protests’
Mrs Oyedele said the instruction to their members was to stay away from work, and that there would not be any form of street protest.
“We are not doing street protest with the strike. The instruction is for workers to abstain from work and we are complying.
“Public schools have sent back their students in compliance with the strike.
“Many sent their student back this morning because the strike directive came late last night, so that is why students were turned back after getting to school.
“We are ensuring that there is compliance as our officials are at the state secretariat to ensure workers do not resume in their offices,” she said
NAN reports that the labour unions on Monday evening directed their members and affiliates to withdraw their services starting from Tuesday (today), a move the government terms illegal.
READ ALSO: Imo Attack: NLC, TUC to commence national strike midnight
Nigeria’s major labour unions, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), had declared the strike, following the brutalisation of the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State on 1 November. Mr Ajaero was attacked in Owerri, the state capital, during an NLC protest against the Imo State government over alleged maltreatment of workers in the state.
(NAN)
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