Wednesday, 10 Nov 2010

Deposit Money Banks in Lagos witnessed a rush on Tuesday as the Nigerian Labour Congress begins its three-day warning strike.

Our correspondent gathered that activities increased in some banks, as customers of the banks made transactions in anticipation of the strike. Customers queued up in banking halls and Automated Teller Machine centers to perform transactions.

Some customers, who spoke to our correspondent, said that they wanted to withdraw money in case the meeting between labour and the Federal Government failed to yield good results.

A customer, Mr. Nnamdi Korie, said, ”I‘m here to withdraw money that I will use for the three days strike. Although, it has not been confirmed but I want to be on a safe side. Besides, I‘m here because I don‘t want to rely on my ATM card.”

One of the bank officials, who craved anonymity, said that activities had been on the increase as a result of the planned strike.

She said, ”We‘ve done a lot of transactions so far. On a normal day, it‘s not always like this. I think it‘s because of the strike.”

Meanwhile, the unorganised private sector and private business owners have expressed more of ignorance.

Some of the market women and private business owners said that they were interested in seeing how it would impact on their businesses generally, while majority expressed their total ignorance on the issue.

Activities were going on as usual in busy areas in Lagos State such as the major market areas, commercial areas, petrol stations among others.

Our correspondent, who went to Ketu market observed that the market was not busier that it used to be on a normal day, even as many of the market women were ignorant of the action.

A pepper seller, who reacted to the news of the strike action, said that she was hearing about it for the first time.

She only asked to know the sets of people who were planning to go on strike but was indifferent about the action.

A cosmetic seller in the same market also asked why the labour union was planning to go on strike when she heard about it.

According to her, there is no tension in the market as most of the business people there were just out to do their normal duties and did not know anything was about to happen.

Petrol stations were, however, selling fuel to customers normally as there were no queues.

While some of the workers said that the approval of the minimum wage demanded by the NLC would enhance their purchasing power, some however expressed anxiety that the prolonged and consistent strike action may not be healthy for the economy.

Source: Punch