Scores of federal workers in Ibadan on Wednesday shunned the directive by organised labour to boycott work to protest against President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) called for nationwide protests on Wednesday against Mr Tinubu’s mishandling of the subsidy removal.
Workers were seen at their respective offices at the Federal Secretariat Complex at Ikoloba in Ibadan.
Although the secretariat gate was closed, security personnel on duty opened it only for the workers to get to their offices.
The complex’s chief security officer, Sunday Dipeolu, told journalists that his job was to protect the complex, the workers and everyone entering the building for lawful business.
Mr Dipeolu said 42 federal ministries, agencies and parastatals occupy the complex and that he was bound to secure them.
According to him, he has no power to drive out any worker who decides to come to work.
The CSO said police commissioner Hamzat Adebola visited the secretariat to assess the situation.
Some federal workers stated that only the government could direct them to stay away from work or join the protest. One of them stressed that NLC and TUC are associations and employers.
The federal works ministry’s head of the building department, Solomon Adedire, said no directive was received to join the protest or stay away from work.
Mr Adedire, who said he and some of his colleagues were at their duty posts, noted that some decided to stay away from work probably due to fear of the unknown.
Meanwhile, state workers continued protesting at the entrance of the state secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, on Wednesday.
The workers had commenced the protest on Monday over salary deductions, leave bonuses and upward review of pension allowances.
Security personnel, comprising the police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were stationed in strategic locations within the Ibadan metropolis to maintain law and order.
Such locations included Mokola roundabout, Agodi-Gate, Dugbe junction, NLC secretariat, government secretariat and University of Ibadan main entrance.
Although private and commercial vehicles were observed plying the roads without disturbance, commercial banks within the city were under lock and key.
In addition, workers were denied entry into the state high court, magistrates’ court, family court and the election petition tribunal, as their gates were locked and guarded by security operatives.
(NAN)
