Labour Shuts Niger  as Govt, NLC Talks End in Deadlock

Laleye Dipo In Minna

Talks between officials of the Niger State Government and those of the Organised Labour last Tuesday were deadlocked leading to the commencement of an indefinite strike by workers in the state.

As a result, all public offices, including the hospitals and clinics across the state, were closed.

The gate to the state secretariat was also shut by the monitoring committee of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) thereby stopping civil servants from accessing their offices.

Primary and secondary school students who trooped out had to return home as their tutors were not available to teach.

At the Minna General Hospital, the gates were shut but some nurses were seen attending to emergency cases.

The state Chairman of the NLC, Idrees Lafene, said in an interview that the strike witnessed total compliance.

Lafene said the Organised Labour had no other option than to embark on the strike because the state Governor, Umaru Bago, has shown that his administration is “ anti-worker,” adding that out of the 15-point demand presented to the administration, only one has been met.

He said: “We will continue with the strike until the government shows sufficient commitment to meet our demand.”