Striking workers in Ogun State, on Tuesday, said they cannot be intimidated by any form of threat from the government to return to work, as the industrial action enters the third day.

The workers noted that a directive issued by government on Monday asking civil servants to report to their offices and that registers would be opened at various Ministries, Departments and Agencies for attendance should be ignored.

Addressing newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Iwe-Irohin Hall, the state Chairman of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Abiodun Olakanmi, urged workers to disregard all efforts of the government to intimidate them, insisting that the strike continues until further notice.

Olakanmi, flanked by the chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, Comrades Akeem Ambali and Olubunmi Fajobi respectively, maintained that organised labour in the state would not submit to cheap propaganda on the part of the government.

The labour leader said, “The JNC hereby states categorically that all machinations of the state government to intimidate workers and coerce them to submission and servitude be disregarded.

“Under no condition would the organised labour in the state submit to cheap propaganda being peddled by the government.

“It should be mentioned that until the government remit all deductions from workers’ salaries, there is no going back.

“The JNC, therefore, call on workers to reject outrightly the threatening message being circulated by the state government directing workers to report to work. You are advised to keep calm and stay at home until the strike is called off by labour leaders in the state.”

Meanwhile, there was a little skirmish in the early hours of Tuesday during a peaceful rally by the labour leaders, as police arrested two members of the union.

One of the members was said to be handcuffed and they fired canisters at the other members to disperse the crowd.

On the incident, Olakanmi explained that the rally monitored by men of the Quick Rapid Response Squad was peaceful and that he could not explain what led to the firing of the canisters.

He told newsmen that the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, addressed them within the government secretariat on the strike issue.

Olakanmi said that those arrested had been released and that item collected was also returned to them.

The SSG, in an interview with journalists, denied any form of maltreatment on the part of the police to the workers, adding that government may employ the ‘no work no pay rule.’

“I was there this morning. The police conducted themselves in a civil and responsible manner. I was there to preach peace with the labour leaders on the need to show understanding on some of the issues raised.

“However, the workers, sensing that the strike had failed, went round the offices to physically assault the staff to return home. They were frustrated because their plan had failed,” Adeoluwa said.

Asked why government reneged on the MoU signed with the workers on January 25, the SSG said there was no agreement between the state workforce and government that had not been fulfilled.