By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi.
The directive by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for Nigerian workers to embark on massive strike against subsidy removal on fuel Wednesday, suffered a setback in Bauchi when public organizations and institutions were opened for work.
When New Nigerian went to town, it discovered that virtually all workers with Federal and state ministries, departments and agencies reported for duty while markets and shops were also in full operation.
Some of the civil servants who spoke to our reporter in Bauchi did not want their voice taken, but described the strike as an act of sabotage, querying, “Where was the NLC when Nigerians experienced serious hardship as a result of fuel scarcity”.
A trade Malam Buba Ahmed who spoke to our reporter noted that though the removal of the fuel subsidy came as a surprise, it was however part of measures towards salvaging the country from its numerous predicaments.
Ahmed advised his fellow traders not to hike the prices of their commodities, while Mr. Bulus Monday a civil servant, lamented that for the past 4 months, workers and pensioners did not receive their salaries yet Labour shows no concern despite physical suffering the affected people are undergoing.
Monday expressed concern over the selective system of paying salaries and pensions by the state government which, he said, the NLC is supposed to checkmate but kept quiet, stressing that as far as workers in Bauchi state are concerned, there is no Labour Congress in the state.
The Ministry of education which is very close to the NLC State Office and the state Secretariat housing many ministries remained open as workers were seen carrying out their individual responsibilities without hindrance.
When our reporter visited the NLC State office, it was under lock and no official of the congress was around to comment on the strike, as efforts to reach the state chairman, Comrade Hashimu Mohammed Gital proved abortive as his cell phone was not going.
