National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) has announced the shutdown of Owerri airport over the attack by Imo State Government agents on members who were attending NLC state congress on Tuesday.
The announcement by the union followed a directive by the national leadership of the NLC.
Comrade Ocheme Aba, General Secretary of NUATE, in a letter dated March 8 informed the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos of the planned closure by midnight on Wednesday.
“In compliance with the directive of the Nigeria Labour Congress for total strike and shut down of Imo State over the militarisation and brutalisation of Congress members in Imo State, all aviation workers in Owerri Airport have been directed to shut down all services at the airport with effect from 12 midnight today 08/03/2023.
“This action shall disable normal operations at the airport, especially with regard to aircraft movement in and out of the airport,” the letter read.
Similarly, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has directed its members to shut down operations and withdraw their services effective from midnight Wednesday.
The union’s Senior Assistant General Secretary, Agyake Anthony, in a letter on behalf of the General Secretary dated March 7 directed that “the eastern zonal leadership and all NUEE members in Imo State must ensure full compliance.”
Also, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has directed its members to “ensure total shutdown of all services of NUPENG members in Imo State.”
NUPENG General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, said in a letter dated March 8 to the state chairperson, Imo State Coordinating Council of NUPENG that “the hiring of thugs and other undesirable elements by the agents of Imo State in the bid to install puppets as workers leaders in the state is barbaric, crude and condemnable in all ramifications.”
Therefore, all petroleum tanker drivers, petrol station workers, liquefied petroleum gas retailers and all other allied workers in Imo are to shut down all forms of services from midnight Wednesday.