Ongoing second-semester examinations were, on Monday, disrupted at the Ondo State School of Health Technology, Akure, by officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The Labour representatives disrupted the examinations in a bid to enforce the nationwide indefinite strike.
The institution had begun its second-semester exams for the students last week and had continued with some of the courses on Monday morning despite the strike called by Labour to press home their demand for an acceptable minimum wage from the Federal Government.
The Chairperson of the TUC in Ondo State, Clement Fatuase, said the exemption was only granted to the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Students of the institution had arrived early to sit for their exams and the paper was well underway when the labour unions stormed the school campus and ordered the stoppage of the exercise.
The students, who were obviously frustrated, expressed surprise that they were not allowed to conclude the exams, at least for the day.
A nursing student, who was simply identified as Titilope, said, “We had started writing when they came to scatter everything. We were not allowed to finish our paper. It is our second-semester exams.”
The students were seen walking away from the school premises after the disruption.
The Chairperson of the Ondo State NLC, Victor Amoko, confirmed the total compliance with the strike, noting that both the public and private sectors were effectively shut down in Akure.
“We are receiving reports about the affiliated unions, and they are doing well, even though the strike has only just begun for seven hours. We are making good progress as all schools are closed down,” he said.
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“We have made a good start. If you go out there, you will find that the majority of our public and private offices are closed, and there is no work happening.”
Mr Fatuase, on his part, explained that the level of compliance in both public and private sectors in the state was encouraging.
He urged members to unite in the fight for the betterment of workers.
Mr Fatuase said that the union’s discussions with the state government, particularly regarding the exemption of WAEC and INEC officials, should not be seen as a compromise, but as a consideration of their proposed timetable to complete their tasks.
“The message is, let’s fight this once and for all and win it once and for all,” he added.
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