Labour unions shut down banks, cripple businesses in Taraba

The ongoing industrial action embarked on by workers in Taraba State has no doubt begun to negatively affect the people as financial institutions spread across the State have been shut down.

Apart from the banks that the workers have succeeded in picketing, plans have also been concluded to close down markets spread across the state.

Some persons who bared their minds to our correspondent said their plans to celebrate Easter in grand style have turned out to be a mirage as all efforts to make withdrawals have failed.

Describing the situation as “terrible” a visibly dejected Stella Uzodinma claimed that she has been frustrated by the “strike because as I am talking with you now, I am still unable to access my bank because of the strike.”

Wondering how she and her family would mark “the death and resurrection of Christ”, which, according to her, are “both slated for this weekend,” she said, “could you believe that this strike has shattered all my plans for Easter?”

Also piqued by the development, Sule Ali, who had earlier planned to travel to the nearby state of Adamawa alongside his family members agreed that his dream had been dashed by the ongoing strike.

Ali said, “My brother, the situation is terrible because my earlier plans to travel to my home town in Adamawa state have been frustrated not by the workers but by the state government that has been insensitive to the plights of our workers.”

Citing the way and manners resources meant for the people of the state have continued to be diverted by politicians, a top civil servant who sought anonymity, expressed dismay at the “deliberate refusal of the government under the leadership of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku” to extend an olive branch to the workers.

Also apportioning blames to the government, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who also sought pen protection, said the “attitude of our governor towards workers would definitely affect our party’s performance in the forthcoming elections.”

When reached for comments, the State Head of Service, Mrs Susan Nathan, attached the outbreak of COVID-19 to the apron string of government’s inability to meet up with the numerous demands of the workers, among which include the non-implementation of the N30,000 national minimum wage.

She added that the government “is not insensitive to the workers’ demands as the governor is very passionate about workers welfare.”

She said the state government “has been having a series of meetings with the workers.”

Susan, who took steps further to admonish the workers to embrace dialogue as the surest way of actualizing their demands, is optimistic that both the workers and the government would soon resolve their differences.