Labour Shuts Down Airport, Govt Institutions, Banks, Others in Kano

Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

The enforcement team of the Kano State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has shut down public and private institutions as part of the measure to ensure strict observance of the two-day nationwide warning strike in the state.

In the early hours of Tuesday, an enforcement team was on the ground, shut down Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), schools, government offices, banks, Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and other facilities in the state.

The state Vice-Chairman of the union, Ado Riruwai, who led the enforcement exercise, explained that it has shut down all government offices in the state.

Speaking with journalists, the state Chairman of the union, Kabiru Inuwa, explained that the strike became necessary as it appeared that the Federal Government was paying lip service to the sufferings of the Nigerian masses months after removing fuel subsidy.

He lamented that workers in the Kano are witnessing unimagined hardship as the minimum wage is no longer sufficient, coupled with the heightened cost of living.

“While top government officials still maintain an extravagant lifestyle, the poor masses are still grappling with the necessities of life.

“This is just a warning strike, as announced by the national body and if the FG fails to meet the demands of the masses, then an indefinite strike will take place.

“If it reaches a stage where labour embarks on an indefinite strike, there will be no turning back until the FG meets all demands of the NLC.

“The Kano Council of the NLC call on the FG to go beyond distributing palliatives and put in concrete measures to ameliorate the sufferings the people are passing through because of fuel subsidy removal,” he said.

According to him, “We have shut down all power sector. Banks are not operating. We heard a flight took off this morning from the airport, we are heading down there to ensure no flight takes off from the airport.”