The nationwide 2-day strike observed by the NLC from Tuesday has crippled some essential banking and medical services in Kogi.

In Lokoja, virtually all the commercial banks locked their gates to customers, while the government-owned hospitals suffered total neglect as medical doctors, nurses, and attendants stayed away.

A check around IBB Way, where most of the commercial banks like UBA, Union Bank, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, Unity Bank, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, First Bank, GT Bank, and others are located, showed that customers deserted the area.

The entrances to all the banks were locked to customers, with only the guards and security agents seen keeping vigil in their vicinities.

At Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, and Kogi Specialist Hospital, only a few medical doctors, nurses, and attendants were seen in some of the wards where there were patients on admission.

The State Secretariat along Zone 8 Road, Lokoja, and other ministries in the state were also empty, showing that Kogi workers maximally obeyed the directive of the NLC.

A worker from the Kogi State environmental sanitation board, Joyce Ameh, told newsmen that they were observing the strike, which explained why 95 per cent of their staff did not come to work.

“The fuel subsidy removal is hitting hard on us; we have been spending almost 80 per cent of our salaries on transportation since the subsidy removal on May 29.

“We are appealing to the Federal and State Governments to listen to the cry of the NLC and do the needful very urgently,” Ms Ameh said.

Another worker from the state ministry of youths and sports development, Abubakar Omeiza, said that the warning strike was a welcome development, having been long overdue.

“The NLC monitoring and enforcement team came to the state secretariat this morning to ensure total compliance, and we are happy with that action.

“The governments must rise up to their core responsibilities because we cannot continue like this. The hardships have gone beyond control,” Mr Omeiza said

Speaking on the strike, the vice chairman of the NLC in Kogi, Eleojo Opaluwa, expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance by the workers in the state.

“We are happy that the two-day national warning strike witnessed total compliance in Lokoja and the entire 21 local government areas of Kogi.

“We have moved round the MDAs and even banks, state-owned hospitals, and other organisations; we are glad to inform you that day one of the warning strike experienced huge success.

Mr Opaluwa, who is a member of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) in Kogi, said the supply of electricity had been shut down in the entire state.

“As I am talking to you now, I am sure you don’t have electricity in your house because it has been shut down across the state.

“Even the supply to the Kogi State Government House has been shut down, so if Government House electricity could be shut down, then the warning strike has witnessed 100 per cent success in Kogi,” Mr Opaluwa said.

(NAN)