NLC Warning Strike: Banks, Local Govt. Councils, others shut in Port Harcourt

Some banks, Courts and Local Government Councils Secretariats were closed for business today in Port Harcourt and envions in compliance to the two days warning strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

A tour around some parts of the state capital to monitor the level of compliance showed that most banks did not open today.

However, at the State Secretariat today most workers came to work and they were going about their activities, while some workers came to work marked the attendance registers and later left.

So citizens that were spoken to complained that some of them who has challenges with the Banks could not see staff to resolve their issues and they regretted what happened to them today. Those affected are especially those who had issues with their Automated Teller Machines, ATM and they could not see anybody to resolve the issues for them. They regretted the inconveniences.

A Customer at one new generation Banks said he came to the bank to collect his ATM card but was told that the bank workers were observing a nationwide warning strike.

He regretted the wastage of his transport fair and manhour loss.

An Operator of Point of Sale, POS, however, said they were operating normally without increasing their charges which is still 100 naira for every 5,000 naira withdrawal and nothing has changed. She said she was not even aware of anything called strike that it did not affect her business.

It will be recalled that yesterday the leadership of her bank workers issued a statement that all bank workers should stay away from bank and join the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, warning strike.

Other parts visited like Rumuokoro, Rumuokuta banks and environs, the banks were shutdown today.

However, Markets and other businesses operated normally in state capital. The roads were busy and motor parks for interstate transportation were equally full of hustle and bustle when our Correspondent visited.

The Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Rivers State, Alex Agwanwor threatened that members will take a civil actions if the government refused to heed to their demands and the nation will be forced to be to shut down.

He said that after this two days warning strike and the Federal Government does not heed to their demand and they will be a full-blown strike in the country.

It would be recalled that the NLC chairman Joe Ajaero, President of NLC refused to attend the meeting called by the Federal Government when he said the NLC will be forced to take action if they refuse to heed to the demands of Labour who are representing the interest of suffering masses in this country.

At the University of Port Harcourt, there were skeleter services as some Lecturers refused to turn up for Lectures scheduled for today.