Banks, courts and schools in Port Harcourt and its environs are shut in compliance with the nationwide strike declared by the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.
Organised Labour commenced the strike following the inability of the Federal Government to reach an agreement on a new minimum wage.
Our reporter who went around reports that all banks along the stretch of Ikwerre Road, Aba Road, Trans-Amadi and Olu Obasanjo Road are shut.
Some bank customers were seen trying to use the Automated Teller Machines along the Trans-Amadi and Olu-Obasanjo Roads, but many were not dispensing cash.
Also, students of the Government Secondary School, Borikiri and Community Secondary School, Pabod both in Port Harcourt were asked by the school authorities to go back home, as the students were seen trekking long distances; even as they were playing on the road.
Asked, one of the students of CSS, Pabod, Port Harcourt said, “Our Principal asked us to go home that they are on strike. ”
At the Rivers State Judiciary Complex, Azikiwe Road and the Customary Court Court Complex the strike was total as the gate was shut.
Members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria mounted canopies in front of the judiciary complex with chairs chatting.
Speaking to our correspondent, the State Secretary of JUSUN, Rosemary. Mbata said their action complied with the union’s national directive.
Mbata stated, “This place was shut as early as 6.30 am today. It is because of the failure of the Federal Government and labour to agree on a new minimum wage.
“There will be no access until we are heard and a reasonable new minimum wage is agreed upon.
“We know every matter that comes to the court here is important and pressing but they too should understand with us that we are on strike. It’s nationwide, not just in Rivers State.
” So the FG should listen to us and do the needful. ”
The situation was not different at Rivers State Secretariat which houses all the ministries, as the gate was locked preventing civil servants from accessing the place.
The state Chairman of the NLC, Alex Agwanwor, in an interview with our reporter, expressed happiness that compliance with the strike is total.
Agwanwor, further said a monitory team put in place by the organised labour in the state is going around, saying the Port Harcourt Refining Company and other companies are also shut.
He stated, “There is 100 per cent compliance and we are monitoring too. Our monitoring team are on the ground to ensure that workers comply.
“Both the Federal and State Secretariat are under lock and key. Workers in banks, and the oil and gas sector, like the Refinery and petrochemical Company, have no choice but to comply. It’s a national directive so the enforcement will continue until further notice.”
However, at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, the situation was different as work was going on with staff attending to patients, and the latter seeing doctors assigned to them.
An official who spoke to our correspondent said they had yet to receive any directive to embark on a strike.
