The Federal Secretariat in Bayelsa State was on lockdown in compliance with the directive by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), declaring nationwide indefinite strike, on Monday.
This is as the gate to the Nigerian Content Development and Management Board (NCDMB) headquarters was barricaded with vehicles and staff members disallowed from entering the office.
At the Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Yenagoa, skeletal services were being rendered at the hospital as doctors and nurses were seen attending to patients with critical health issues.
Our correspondent observed that majority of government secondary and primary schools as well as commercial banks in the state were also completely shut down in compliance with the strike action.
Customers were seen hanging around at the entrance of Zenith Bank in Amarata, while the FCMB located at Obele also prevented access to the main bank.
A FCMB staff who spoke with LEADERSHIP under anonymity, said customers who arrived at the bank earlier were informed by the security men that the bank was not operating as a result of the nationwide strike.
“Depending on what the customer wants to do. If the customer is insisting, if it is transfer or deposit, we can collect from them but they can’t come inside.”
While addressing Journalists at the entrance of the state Secretariat in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Council chairman of the NLC, Comrade Banabas Simon, said union was complying with the directive of the organised labour particularly on the refusal of the federal government to offer living wage in the aftermath of the hike in fuel pump price.
“We are tired of minimum wage, we cannot go minimum anymore. We want to go living, and the federal government is foot-dragging. As a result of yesterday’s (Sunday) meeting that ended in a deadlock, we have been directed to carry out this assignment to step down all activities.
“So, we are on strike. We are saying a capital no unless the federal government comes to terms with labour, and do the needful in releasing the living wage without further delay.
“It is a total action, we shall have no any compromise whatsoever. We are using the medium to tell all our members, workers in Bayelsa State to stay at home. We are also using this medium to call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to see how he would expedite action in ensuring that these issues are resolved to cushion the effects of subsidy removal”, he said
Also, the TUC chairman in Bayelsa State, Comrade Laye Julius said a monitoring committee has been going round to ensure compliance in line with the directive of the national leadership of the Congress.
He said, “All the Banks in the state, federal and state institutions have been shut down and this will continue until we get a counter directive from our national leaders.
“What we are showing them is that we have a right to Nigeria, we have a right to economy, we have a right to a better standard of living just like them. We are telling them, come back to the negotiation table, and until you do that, we will not accept your offer.”