By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
The first day of the seven day warning strike embarked upon by Niger state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has paralyzed social and economic activities in parts of the state, Minna the state capital in particular.
Several meetings between representatives of the organised labour in the state and Niger state government ended in deadlock as representative of the former declined entreaties to rescind stance, the workers insist on staying away from duty posts to press home their demands.
At the Niger State Transport Authority (NSTA) premises located along Tunga, some of the customers who had paid for trips to parts of the country were disappointed when they met the two gates under lock while all state government offices were also deserted.
The situation at the Minna General hospital is very pathetic as the facility is almost deserted when NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Correspondent visited. Few of the patients were seen with their relatives making their way out of the government owned health facility.
Though Banks opened for businesses, NEWSLEADER learnt that efforts are being made to ensure they remain closed as from today (Tuesday, March 8, 2022) if no truce was reached between representative of the Niger state government and the organised labour.
When contacted, Niger state Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Yakubu Garba, expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance with the strike by all affiliate bodies of NLC and called for the continuation of such strict compliance.
Comrade Yakubu Garba however maintained that the strike will continue until their demands for improved working conditions were met by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello who is currently in Abuja while all government businesses are being grounded in the state.
Labour leaders are amongst others demanding for the payment of gratuities of civil servants which has been abandoned for about two years now and the immediate payment of 30 percent June salary for year 2020 that was not paid due to Corona Virus pandemic.
Other demands by workers is the release of withheld cooperative Endwell Union dues and the National Housing Funds (NHF) money by Niger state government and as well, a stop without further delay salary payment by percentage.
Meanwhile, efforts to contact the state Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Idris, for comments on the lingering crisis between labour and the state government were unsuccessful as at the time of this report. NNL.