In Ogun State, banks, schools, and hospitals were closed on Monday due to the indefinite strike initiated by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).Our correspondent noted that banks in the Oke-Ilewo area of Abeokuta did not open for business. Schools such as St. Anne’s Nursery and Primary School sent students home.
Nurses at the State Hospital in Ijaye, Abeokuta also withdrew their services, leaving doctors to provide only limited care. A senior matron, who requested anonymity to avoid repercussions, confirmed that the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu joined the strike, advising patients to go home.
The source stated, “Staff at OOUTH have joined the strike. Although doctors, who are not NLC members, remain on duty, patients have no choice but to be discharged and return once the strike ends.”Speaking to journalists, Akeem Lasisi, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress in Ogun State, described the strike as highly effective, noting strong compliance and participation.Lasisi said, “Organised labour gave the federal government until May 31, 2024, to implement the new minimum wage. Upon failure, labour had no option but to begin an indefinite strike today. Labour also demands a reversal of the recent electricity tariff increase from ₦225 to ₦66 per kilowatt-hour.
We warned the government that labour rejects the categorisation of electricity consumers into bands A, B, C, and D. This discrimination must be reverted, yet the government has not addressed this. Even the Minister of Power has remained silent.The federal government’s offer of a ₦60,000 minimum wage is unacceptable. Currently, the lowest-paid federal worker earns ₦77,000. Offering ₦60,000 shows insincerity. Workers are suffering from rising food prices and transportation costs. Life is becoming increasingly difficult.
Compliance with the strike is total. Schools, hospitals, local government secretariats, state, and federal secretariats are all closed. We allowed some schools to remain open for students taking the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination. The strike in Ogun State has been quite successful.We hope the federal government will engage in dialogue to resolve this issue favorably for workers. The suffering is immense, and the government needs to respond positively to our modest requests.”
Both the NLC and TUC instructed their members to embark on an indefinite strike due to the government’s refusal to meet their demand for a minimum wage of over ₦494,000, while the federal government offered ₦60,000. Additionally, organised labour is demanding that the federal government revert the electricity tariff from ₦225 per kilowatt-hour back to ₦66 per kilowatt-hour.
