Water And Electricity Supply To National Assembly Cut Off As Labour Embarks On Nationwide Strike
Nigeria’s National Assembly complex was shut down on June 3, 2024, as the Parliamentary Staff Union of Nigeria (PASUN) joined the indefinite strike action called by Organised Labour. The strike, which began at midnight on Monday, protests the non-conclusion of negotiations for a national minimum wage.
The move is in solidarity with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), who called for the indefinite strike. The unions demand a conclusion to negotiations on a national minimum wage.
For weeks, negotiations between the Federal Government and Labour Unions regarding a new minimum wage that would address the country’s current economic challenges have stalled. Initially, the Nigeria Labour Congress proposed N615,500 and later N497,000, while the Federal Government proposed N48,000. Although the government increased their offer to N60,000, talks between the parties failed on Sunday after the Labour Unions demanded N494,000 as the new wage.
According to Punch Newspaper, the union barricaded the two gates of the Assembly complex, preventing workers and visitors from entering the premises. Additionally, the electricity and water supply to the buildings housing the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as other facilities in the complex, have been shut off.
Earlier, offices of several ministries in Abuja were shut down, and their workers were barred from entering their offices in compliance with the strike. Moreover, many parts of the country have been plunged into darkness after the national grid was shut down. Several reports also shows that schools, banks, local government secretariats and other businesses were equally closed due to the strike.
