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By Onomiguren Agbamu
Work Activities has been crippled in Delta State following the national industrial strike embarked upon by the Nigerian Labour Congress,(NLC) over salary increase which commenced yesterday, commercial activities in Asaba and environs were paralyzed while offices and banks were under lock and keys.
A check around Asaba revealed a quiet and less busy town as compared to the ever busy town for which Asaba is known.
While monitoring the level of compliance as directed by national body of the NLC, the leader of the Organized Labour Compliance and Enforcement Team, and Trade Union Congress (TUC) comrade Martin Bolum observed that there was 95 percent Compliance in the state.
Places monitored include; Federal Medical Centre, Banks, Specialist Hospital, DDPA, Federal High court, State Secretariat Asaba and Denis Osadebay University were all under lock and key.
Addressing journalists, Delta State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Chief Goodluck Ofobrukun said the agitation for the new minimum becomes imperative because Nigerian workers are suffering, adding that the federal government has been adamant to listen to plight of workers.
Ofobrukun added that for the past one year the Federal Government has been dragging their feet, and has refused to listen to the Nigerian workers.
The state NLC chairman revealed that the National Assembly has approved grants of whopping sum of 35 billions palliative to supreme court judges and 70 billions palliative to members of the National Assembly and nothing for Nigerians workers.
He maintained that the NLC had been warning that the policies of the federal government are pauperizing Nigerians workers. and they should do something. He said, “Since they don’t want to listen, we have decided to withdraw our services.”
When asked if the figures the NLC agitating for are realistic, he said, “If a senator gets 30 million Naira monthly, and his newspaper allowance is 1.2million Naira a month, how can you say the workers that work from 1st to 31st cannot get N494,000?”
“ What have they said? Can sixty thousand Naira pay for bedsitter in Asaba? Can it transport you to work? So they must be serious about the negotiations”
” We are ready this time around to tell the Federal Government that Nigerians workers should be well paid”
Earlier, the Chairman of TUC,Delta State, comrade Martin Bolum said the monitoring was to ensure that there was total compliance and enforcement of the strike on offices that are seen to be reluctant to comply with NLC directives.
