As the Nigeria Labour Congress embarked on a nationwide strike on Monday, civil servants, banks, filling stations, and other federal government establishments in Sokoto have adhered to the directives to join the strike.
Findings by our correspondent in the state revealed that while some schools and filling stations are operational, the Federal Government College and the Kaduna Electric Distribution Company (KAEDCO) are in full compliance.
A resident of the state, Aliyu Tanimu, who spoke with newsmen, applauded the commitment of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Tanimu said, “I am in total support of the unions’ action.
“As you can see, I am here at KAEDCO to make some inquiries, but there is no one here as they have complied with the strike action directives.
“This development is highly impressive, considering the government is not ready to take the necessary action. With the current economic hardship, how can N60,000 sustain a family?
“In my opinion, anything less than a N200,000 minimum wage for Nigerian civil servants will not solve the problem, and as such, the government needs to take appropriate measures,” he stated.
Also at the Federal Government College, students were turned back from the school entrance gate by some of the management in order to enable staff of the school to join the strike.
When contacted, the chairman of the Academic Staff Union of the University, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Professor Muhammad Almustapha, said the union just received its letter from the national body.
“I want to assure you that we are joining the strike; we just received the letter from the national headquarters, and we are having our Congress make any movement from now on.
“All I can tell you is that, as bona fide members of the NLC, we are joining the strike action immediately after the congress, which is our tradition,” he added.
When contacted, the secretary of the NLC in the state, Comrade Hamisu Hussaini, said the labour leaders went around to ensure full compliance with the strike action.
He, however, assured journalists that the leaders will brief journalists tomorrow (Tuesday) on the state of compliance across the state.
Meanwhile, there is partial compliance at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUS), as senior doctors were seen attending to patients within the hospital.
Some of the patient’s relatives who were in the hospital were seeing each other in different groups and discussing the outcome of their relatives as the strike continued.
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