Lagos State workers on Wednesday defied the call by the organised labour to embark on a nationwide strike over hike in pump price of petrol.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that most workers were at their duty posts as early as 8am at the state secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
The state government had on Tuesday warned residents not to partake in the strike following the ruling of the National Industrial Court in Abuja barring the Nigeria Labour Congress from proceeding with the industrial action.
Some workers interviewed said they were directed to come to work or else will be queried.
The motor parks in the secretariat were full, while there was normal banking activities at the two banks located within the secretariat.
Visitors were seen coming in and out of the secretariat without any hindrance.
Workers and business operators in Lagos also on Wednesday defied the order of a faction of the NLC to go on strike over the new increase in the pump price of petrol announced last week by the Federal Government.
Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria who went round the metropolis are reporting that markets, offices and commercial bus operators resumed for normal business activities in the early hours of the day.
NAN reports that the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, on Tuesday walked out of a meeting with Federal Government officials called to resolve contending issues such as the increase in fuel price and an upward review of the minimum wage.
At Ketu, Ojota and Mile 12 markets, trading activities went on unhindered, while vehicular traffic was not as heavy as it used to be.
NAN observed that an OP MESA Patrol vehicle and about 15 police personnel and an Armoured Personnel Carrier were stationed at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota.
Ikorodu town and environs are also reported to be calm.
Also, all the LAGBUS buses belonging to the NLC did not operate, as they were all parked at the congress’ offices in Yaba.
The LAGBUS and Bus Rapid Transport buses owned by the Lagos State Government were operating as usual.
However, commercial banks did not open earlier in the day because of an instruction from the National Union of Banks and Financial Institutions Employees on Tuesday warning that they should be at alert during the impending strike.
Shiek Muhammed, the General Secretary of the union, however, confirmed to NAN on Wednesday that the banks were earlier issued a circular to stay on alert because of the planned strike.
Muhammed said: “After the meeting with the Federal Government on Tuesday evening, the Joe-Ajaero faction of the NLC decided to step down on the strike, to give government the opportunity to meet their demands.”
He, however, assured that the banks would resume operations before the end of the day as the union was on the verge of issuing another order for them to be open for business.
On the agreement reached, Muhammed said the NLC faction agreed with the government to set up a tripartite committee on the upward review of the minimum wage.
He said the faction asked the government to also reconstitute the board of the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency and to look into the fuel price increase.
Muhammed said the government also agreed to, within 14 days, institute a committee to monitor the N500 billion budgeted for social welfare for the people in the 2016 budget.
He said the NLC faction agreed that if the government, within two weeks, looks at these issues and implements them, there would be no need for any strike.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Chapter of the NLC and some Civil Society groups commenced a protest march at7am on Wednesday through Ikorodu Road to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja to sensitise more Nigerians on the need to go on strike.
A faction of the NLC is asking the government to reverse the new pump price of fuel from N145 per litre to its former price of N86.50 per litre.
The Lagos state chapter of the NLC is also asking the government for a downward review of the recently-increased electricity tariff, to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.
And in a related development, the Trade Union Congress President, Bobboi Kaigama, dissociated his group from the strike on Tuesday, saying that they would collaborate with the Federal Government and allow for a meaningful dialogue on the issue.
NAN.