Banks, Govt Offices Open For Businesses As Workers Refuse To Comply With NLC Strike Directive

Deposit Money Banks and some government establishments may have boycotted the industrial action by the Nigerian Labour Congress, which began midnight on Tuesday.

Banks visited by THE WHISTLER across First Avenue, Second Avenue, Third and Fourth Avenue in Gwarinpa area of the Federal Capital Territory were open for business as at the time of filing this report.

At Access Bank Plc, located at First Avenue Gwarinpa, the bank was open, and customers had their transactions executed seamlessly while the bank’s branch in Third Avenue was also open for business.

A staff of the bank who spoke to THE WHISTLER on the condition of anonymity said, “We have not received mail of or any instruction from the head office to suspend our service. “

The First City Monument Bank on Third Avenue was also open for business. In the United Bank for Africa, which is ten minutes away from the FCMB branch, customers trooped in and out doing their usual banking transactions.

A UBA customer representative at the bank who spoke to THE WHISTLER said the bank was not “considering joining as at the time. Even if the bank joins the strike, we at the customer service, and some other critical departments will not join. We will only close the entrance so that customers and that is all.”

The situation was not different at Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCo) as activities boomed.

At Fourth Avenue, where Eco Bank Plc is located, customers entered the bank freely without restrictions as the customer service and tellers attended to their customers as usual.

THE WHISTLER also witnessed partial compliance in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Foreign Affairs and Head of Service of the Federation.

THE WHISTLER observed that workers resumed their usual duty on Tuesday morning at the Ministry of Finance but most of the offices were locked.

Some of the staff members who spoke to THE WHISTLER said a memo was sent to workers in the late hours of Monday which resulted in confusion among workers.

The situation was not different at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A security personnel who spoke anonymously said, they were observing the strike, but he said workers will be allowed access to their offices if they resume.

At the Head of the Service of the Federation, staff members were present in few numbers, with most of it car parks unoccupied.

FG Meets NLC For Emergency Talks

In order to avert the economic consequences of the strike, the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Simon Lalong, has convened a meeting with labour leaders as the nationwide strike begins.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress are expected at the meeting held on Tuesday (today).

Recall that the Labour Party has revealed that it won’t be attending any meeting with the FG if the Lalong will be present.

Recall that last week, aviation unions withdrew all services to all Owerri flights both inwards and outwards from any airport in Nigeria with effect from midnight November 8 over the assault on the NLC President, Joe Ajaero in Imo State.

Ajaero and the NLC stormed Imo State to protest the non-payment of salaries and other entitlements of workers, but the NLC president was manhandled by the Nigerian Police.

Ajaero accused the State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, of masterminding the assault.

The NLC and TUC consequently issued a 5-day ultimatum to the federal government to remove the police boss over his alleged involvement in the attack.

The NLC and the federal government also have underlying issues arising from the fuel subsidy removal announced on May 29, 2023, by the Bola Tinubu administration.

The union had listed wage reviews for workers and that the state-owned refineries be fixed among other demands.