Strike: Akanu-ibiam Int’l airport, Courts, Schools, Offices Shutdown in Enugu

From Chinelo Kodilichukwu Enugu

The Akanu-Ibiam international airport, Enugu state on Monday, shutdown as a result of the nationwide strike of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, in the state.

Other places that were shutdown includes: public schools, courts, NTA, FRCN, and offices in the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Emenites, Railway corporation, Local government offices, State and federal ministries were under lock and key.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress Enugu State Chapter, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo in his address, emphasized that there is a national directive to ensure that the whole country is shutdown, since the federal government has refused to comply on the new minimum wage.

According to him, “we have come out today to start the indefinite strike as declared by NLC, TUC. It has commenced today and it will continue. Just mark the word indefinite, as long as they refused to give us the living wage. As long as they fly in the best aircraft, yet they cannot pay us living wage.

“They want to give us 60,000 naira in a country where a liter of fuel is 1200, 1000 naira depending where you are buying from. A country where a bag of rice is 98,000 naira, house rent is 1.6 million naira for 2 bedroom flat. So how do we survive.

“We pay house rent, we eat, we pay school fees, electricity bills, sometimes hospital bills. A unit of electricity is 222 naira. We have come out to say, we cannot continue under this condition. If they are not willing to pay us, we will withdraw our services until they decide to pay us” he said.

In a swift reaction, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman Enugu State Chapter, Comrade Ben Asogwa in his speech, lamented that the Nigerian government have decided to punish those who put them in power.

He complained that he cannot understand why the Nigerian government wants the workers to use 60,000 naira wage to survive the economic trouble in the country.

According to him, “If you look at the system, anybody that is telling us to use 60,000 naira for a month, should give us break down on how we are going to use it. Tell us how to use it for transportation, house rent, high electricity tariff, school fees, food.

“We have seen lack of commitment on the side of government of Nigeria. Today we have that mandate to withdraw services all over Nigeria. Today every government office in Enugu is under lock and key including Akanu Ibiam International Airport.

“Therefore any action towards undermining Nigerian masses cannot be tolerated and we will continue the strike action until they are ready to rejig Nigeria” he said.