THE strike embarked upon yesterday by  the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over fuel subsidy removal was peaceful in Cross River, Imo State while it was aborted in Bayelsa State.

Early in the morning, business activities went on as usual in Calabar as   the markets  opened  while commercial drivers plied the roads.

Also ,  petrol stations, government offices were open, while banks however did not do business with their customers.

But later in the day the banks shut their gates while civil servants were at work were chased up from their officesby  NLC’s officials. The  State ‘s NLC chairman  Mr. Njom Iyambe explained that some government offices opened because they had no formal directive from them to stay at home, but after pasting bulletins on their premises telling them to stay home, they started complying.

For the taxi drivers and markets unions which still seemed adamant, he said adequate measures would be taken to ensure they complied.

Meanwhile, security operatives in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, at 7:30 am condoned off the Opolo Secondary School .  the venue slated for the kick off of the planned protest.

In Owerri businesses activities went on at Ekeukwu, and Relief Market located near Ikenegbu /Egbu extension in the metropolis.

Only banks and offices were under lock and key.

However, NLC  officials and some workers matched through the major streets in Owerri in the morning accompanied by police men and other security officials along the busy Douglas, Okigwe, Wethdral streets ,  chanting anti-government songs.

Commercial activities were paralysed in  Osogbo, the Osun State capital by the protest which was also held in other major towns. It was generally peaceful until when a former governor of the state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola allegedly ran into some protesters. Two persons sustained severe injuries in the process.

Public workers in the state observed the strike while banks, offices, traders and markets did not open to customers.

The protesters who carried placards bearing various inscriptions, held the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 11, Mr. Johnson Uzuegbunam hostage for about 30 minutes as he was on his way to office.

The protest was led by the NLC, TUC, National Conscience Party (NCP), Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Committee for Democracy and Right of the People (CDRP), Justice Now Foundation (JNF), State Coalition Against Violation (OSCARV), Peoples Welfare League (PWL), and students’ union leaders among others.

Protests also rocked Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.                  .

The old, young, students, artisans, civil and human rights activists as well as labour leaders, armed with placards, marched  round the ancient city chanting anti-government songs and demanded the immediate reversal of petroleum pump price to N65.

Members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) were fully mobilised as they withdrew their vehicles from the roads, as well as commercial motorcyclists.

Offices and markets were deserted while banks were shut to customers.

However, the strike took off rather on an abysmal note in Enugu yesterday as residents went about their normal duties. Government offices were shut as civil servants stayed away from duty. All other activities in the state were in full gear.

The banks which locked their entrances apparently for fear of being molested, offered services to their customers through the back door.

Markets, petrol stations and other businesses were in full operation while motorists plied the state unmolested.

Private schools in the state which reopened for academic activities yesterday operated without hassles, but those of public schools turned their students back.

-Guardian

Posted by admin on Jan 10 2012. Filed under Bayelsa, Cross River, Enugu, Headlines, Imo, Osun, Oyo, State News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry