By Seyi Babalola
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of Labour and Employment, has stated that Nigerians will suffer if the Organised Labour maintains its nationwide strike.
Nkeiruka said this in an interview on Monday.
On Monday, organized labor went on an indefinite countrywide strike after failing to reach a deal with the federal government on the minimum wage.
The action crippled activities in various sectors, as schools, hospitals and offices were closed.
Reacting to the development, the Minister said, “We know what the issues are and we hope they will be resolved, but going to strike will take the matter to the extreme with a lot of negative implications to both our economy and the welfare of the citizens.
“If the strike continues, the citizens will suffer and they have started suffering.
“Our students who were supposed to be taking exams have been affected because they can’t find means of transportation to exams centres.
“There are people who can’t eat until they go to their places of work. Some people who work at the Secretariat live daily on what they get from the officers there.”
She lamented the effect of the strike on hospitals, stating that the National grid shutdown will continue to affect a lot of medical procedures.
She stressed that hospitals being inaccessible, and doctors not being able to perform their duties might lead to death of patients.
“On production side, we know that when activities are shut down, it will affect our economy. Businesses will definitely be affected. Social life has also been affected too”, she said.
