Labour Pickets Lagos State Secretariat …Public servants protest union’s action

Labour Pickets Lagos State Secretariat

…Public servants protest union’s action

Scores of aggrieved labour activists today marched to the Lagos State Secretariat angrily protesting against the decision of the federal government to increase the pump price of petrol.

The protesters, who were led by the National Vice President, Mr. Amechi Asugwuni, marched into the secretariat complex; blocked the main gate and sealed up the office of Head of Service (HoS), Mrs. Olabowale Ademola.

However, some public servants angrily took on the protesting labour unionists when the office of HoS was picketed, although security operatives quickly intervened and brought the situation under control.

Consequently, the protesters who arrived at the secretariat at about 1:30 p.m., marched around the premises of the secretariat, singing different solidarity songs and demanding the reversal of fuel subsidy policy.

The protesters trooped to the state secretariat through Awolowo road and blocked almost all the strategic roads leading to the seat of power, thereby causing gridlocks virtually in all parts of Ikeja.

The protesters shut the entrance to the complex preventing public servants from entering or going out, a situation which sparked confrontation with the labour activists by some public officials.

A public servant lamented that the organised labour only protest when the situation “is not in the favour of the leaders. What has the organised labour done for the public servants in the state all these years?”

The public servant, also decried that money “is deducted monthly from our salary and yet nothing is done to protect our interest. They only protest when the situation is not in their favour.”