Vexed Train Attendants Protests Poor Salaries, Shut Down Train Services Nationwide

Vexed Train Attendants Protests Poor Salaries, Shut Down Train Services Nationwide

Indignant railway workers on Thursday shut down passenger and cargo train services of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) across the country.

When reporters visited the Mobolaji Johnson Train station in Ebutte-Meta in Lagos and  the Obafemi Awolowo Train Station, Moniya, Ibadan on Thursday, workers were seen displaying placards and singing solidarity songs as they ensured that there was no train services at the station.

Some of the passengers who had besieged the Mobolaji Johnson Train station to board trains were turned back by the angry workers as all the gates leading into the NRC premises were locked up.

At Obafemi Awolowo Train Station, Moniya, Ibadan, the Nigerian Union of Railway Workers and Senior Staff Association protested against poor pay by the Federal Government.

 

The protesters were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions like: “Railway workers live matters”; “We want standard condition of service”; “FG pay us good salary and allowance; “We are suffering, give us enhanced salary regime” among others.

Some strategic places in the train station like the entry point, the ticketing office and the loading section were deserted when visited by reporters because of the three-day warning protest.

One of the protesters said their salary was not enough for them to survive considering effects of economic hardship on the nation.

“Federal government invested billions of dollars asset to the stations but you can imagine a staff or a driver carrying these assets is been paid below N40, 000 monthly.

“How is such worker is going to survive, the safety of our lives is also part of our agitations?

“This is a three-day warning protest, today is the commencement day and it will continue till Friday and Saturday