Labour Unions in Ebonyi State on Monday joined their colleagues in the nationwide strike declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC.
DAILY POST correspondent who went round the state capital, Abakiliki, observed that workers at the state Judiciary Complex opposite the old government house met a locked gate when they came to work.
They were unable to gain entrance, and after staying for some time discussing the situation and reading the notices placed by their unions on the gates, they dispersed to their various homes.
At the former Ministry of Finance building behind the Judiciary Complex, union leaders were seen enforcing the strike by locking the gate.
At the Unity Square Secretariat, it was observed that workers of the federal agencies at the secretariat did not show up for work even though the gate into the complex was open.
Some banks on Ogoja Road were opened for business. A staff of one of the commercial banks told DAILY POST that they did not receive any directive from their headquarters and so had to open for their customers.
“Until we receive directives from our head office, we have to open for business. We can’t do otherwise to avoid disciplinary actions,” he said.
Some secondary schools visited in the morning had teachers and students in attendance.
Staffers of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA), turned up for work as the hospital was busy when our correspondent visited.
Medical workers were seen attending to patients at the hospital until someone came into the Male Orthopedic Ward and rang a bell, announcing, “All staff come outside. We have joined the strike.”
It was at that point that nurses and doctors who were dressing patients’ wounds, hurriedly rounded-off tending to patients.
“You can see we have joined the strike. So, what we are just doing now is to make sure that we take care of our patients before we are officially asked to join. So, during this period, you people would have to manage yourselves,” a nurse told our correspondent.
A patient’s wife (name withheld) who didn’t know his wound be dressed today was asked to immediately proceed to the Accounts Department to pay the N1,500 dressing fee.
But when she got to that unit, she found that it was under lock and key.
Consequently, at the time of filing this report, neither a nurse nor a doctor was seen in the ward as many of the workers had left for their houses.