Commercial Activities halted Across Edo As Nation Begins Indefinite Strike
Activities in several parts of Edo State were shut down today as a result of the nationwide strike declared by organized labour.
Local government secretariats in all the eighteen local government areas and other government offices were shut down even as a special team of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state moved round and shut down opened offices in compliance with the strike action.
In Benin City, banks were not spared even as customers, mostly Point Of Sale (POS) operators besieged several banks with the hope of getting cash for their business and that also led to some of them hurriedly increasing their charges per transaction.
The NNPC Mega Filling Station along Sapele Road was already opened for business in the early hours when the NLC team arrived and shut down the facility, Buvel, a private filling station was also not spared.
The team also shut the entrance gate to the Oba Akenzua II Benin Airport which left many travelers stranded and many were seen trying to enter the airport through the exit gate.
Some public schools like Imaguero College which was already opened and had students in, was also shut and the students and few teachers around were forced out of the premises.
The team also went to the Edo State House of Assembly Complex and disrupted an on-going prayer meeting but the Majority Leader of the House, Hon Charity Aiguobarueghan intervened and explained to the NLC team that it was a monthly prayer session. They were allowed to conclude the session and then shut the complex. The NLC picketing team was led by the state Vice Chairman, Comrade Williams Uwumarogie who stood in for the state chairman, Comrade Odion Olaye.
Speaking, the NLC State Youth Chairman, Comrade Osaro Best Idahosa told journalists that “so far so good we have shut down NNPC mega station, we have shutdown the Pension Trustfund, NPDC, the Secretariat Complex, federal secretariat at Aduwawa, the High Court Complex. We discovered that some students forced themselves into some public schools, we shut them down, the Akenzua II Airport in Benin is shut down, the Museum, TCN, BEDC offices in Akpakpava.
According to Osaro Best, there is no timeframe for this strike, it is indefinite but we look up to the national leadership to direct us on the next line of action, the strike continues tomorrow.