NLC Shuts Banks, Schools, Offices in Delta

• Okowa expresses faith in FG’s reforms in oil sector

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Delta State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) declared that the protest strike against the hike of the price of premium motor spirit (PMS) or petrol by the Federal government was at least 80 percent successful in the state.

Commercial banks, schools and numerous government offices in Asaba and other parts of the state were under lock-and-key on the first day of the NLC-called nation-wide strike on Wednesday.

The leadership of the NLC in Delta State, which includes several affiliate bodies of the union, held public rallies and organized a protest march that saw thousands of workers and ordinary Nigerians marching through the streets to the Delta State Government House and the state police command headquarters in Asaba.

The demonstration, which started as early as 7.30a.m. with the congregation of the protesters at the Cable Point area of Asaba on the ever-busy Nnebisi Road, was peaceful and even assumed the posture of a carnival procession as the workers in their assorted uniforms danced to popular protest songs in Nigeria blaring from huge loudspeakers mounted on some NLC buses.

This was coming on the heels of expression of confidence in the current reforms in oil and gas sector of the Federal Government by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Dr Okowa while receiving a delegation of the management of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) in his office in Asaba on Wednesday, said that despite the obviously harsh effects of the said reforms he believes there would be light at the end of the tunnel for the nation’s economy. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) Refineries, Mr Anibor Kragha, led the WRPC delegation.

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