Banks Operate Behind Closed Doors in Cross River

By Bassey Inyang in Calabar 

As the strike embarked on by the NLC entered the third day on Friday, some banks in Calabar metropolis shut their gates against labour leaders who threatened to picket them.

However, having refused to join the strike, the banks carefully provided access to their customers into the banking hall where they were attended to them.

THISDAY observed that the NLC had posted their bulletins on the walls of some of the banks explaining why they should join the strike.

Though their attempts to get the banks to join the strike failed, the NLC leaders and a handful of its members continued their protest march through some streets in Calabar in their attempted to mobilise members of the public to join the strike.

Among the protesters who were sighted by THISDAY at the Mary Slessor / Eta Agbor Roundabout, the state NLC Chairman, Mr. John Ushie , preached  against the increase in fuel price to members of the public who cared to listen.

As the situation with the first two days of the strike, public schools remained closed, forcing teachers, pupils and students to stay at home.

Also local government secretariats remained closed due to the participation of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the strike.

However, the general situation in Calabar and other parts of the state indicated that most of the people in the state shunned the strike and went about their normal business; more so, as markets, motor parks, filling stations and even most state government offices were open for business and normal work.