Ondo: Strike Bites Harder as Refuse Litters Major Roads

James Sowole in Akure
Fears of looming epidemics have gripped residents of Akure sequel to heaps of refuses that littered several streets and road in major towns in Ondo State as the strike embarked upon by workers in the state government entered second week.

The two unions, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had last Wednesday ordered public workers to embark on indefinite strike for the failure of the state government to pay their five months salaries.

Sequel to the strike which had paralysed activities in government offices and all public works, things were not the same in the state and among the residents.
THISDAY monitoring of the effects of the strike revealed mounting heaps of refuse on the ever cleaned Arakale and the popular Oyemekun/Adesida Roads, particularly at market areas on the two major roads.
The situation occurred as a result of the action of traders who packed refuses from their shops and drop same on the road median.

Prior to the strike, workers of the state Waste Management Authority usually pack these refuse on daily basis at night after the daily trading activities.
Concerned that their refuse could disturb them if allowed to remain near their shops and stalls, traders brought the wastes to the road median.

The strike has also taken toll on health services in the state as all government health facilities were not attending to patients because the action was total.
Relations of patients have evacuated them to alternative places as nurses, doctors and other health workers are not on hand to offer their services.

The request by the government that labour leaders should allow skeletal services in health facilities fell on the deaf ears of the labour leaders.
Despite these effects, the organised labour said the strike would not be called off until their demands are met.

To ensure  total complaint with the strike order, the organised labour raised an enforcement team that goes about to see what was going on in all government offices and facilities.
Apart from the enforcement team, leadership of the labour unions gathers on daily basis at a point for hours for enforcement after which they review activities of the day.