Federal offices and some ministries and commissions in Ondo State on Friday complied with the directive of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) for workers to embark on a three-day warning strike over unresolved demands.
The development followed the directive of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) for workers at the federal, state and local government levels to embark on a three-day warning strike over unresolved demands.
The strike, which commenced on Friday, affected activities at some government establishments in the state, although compliance was not uniform across all offices visited.
A visit to the Federal Secretariat by our reporter in Akure showed that most of the offices were locked, with only a few workers seen within the premises.
The atmosphere at the Federal secretariat located at Igbatoro road, Akure was relatively quiet, as members of the public who would ordinarily visit the offices to access government services were largely absent.
Some of the workers seen at the premises told our correspondent that they were not carrying out official duties, but explained that they had only come to attend to personal matters.
A similar situation was observed at the Ondo State Civil Service Commission in Alagbaka, Akure, where most offices were also shut.
Although a few workers were seen within the premises, they declined to attend to people who had come to seek official services.
The workers said they were aware of the directive by the labour unions and had only visited their offices for personal reasons.
However, the strike recorded a different level of compliance in some state ministries visited in Akure, as workers were seen at their duty posts.
Some of the ministries were open and activities were observed around the premises, although it could not immediately be established whether the workers were performing official duties or had reported to their offices for personal matters.
The mixed situation suggested that compliance with the warning strike varied among government establishments in the state.
Speaking on the level of compliance, Chairman of the Ondo State Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Oluwasegun Ajiboye, said the state recorded 50 per cent compliance with the industrial action.
Ajiboye, who is also the state chairman of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), said the council had constituted a committee to monitor compliance across the state.
He said, “I can say there is 50 per cent compliance. We have a committee that is going around to monitor compliance with the strike, and the report reaching us is that there is 50 per cent compliance.”
On the demand for a reduction in fuel prices, Ajiboye said the issue was crucial, urging the Federal Government to take decisive steps to reduce petrol prices and increase the minimum wage.
He said, “The cost of living and the state of the economy in the country are becoming very difficult. Our advice is for the government to take decisive steps towards reducing fuel prices and increasing the minimum wage.”
Meanwhile, schools visited in parts of Akure remained open, with students seen inside classrooms and school activities going on despite the commencement of the industrial action.
The continued opening of the schools also indicated that the strike had not resulted in a total shutdown of public institutions across the state as of Friday.
The JNPSNC had directed workers across the three tiers of government to embark on the three-day warning strike as part of efforts to press home their demands.
The council’s directive covers federal, state and local government employees, with workers expected to withdraw their services during the period of the warning strike.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no indication of a complete shutdown of government activities in Akure, with the level of compliance differing from one establishment to another.