Activities pick up as CAC staff ends strike

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on Thursday resumed official business activities as its staff union called off the week-long strike over non payment of entitlements by the management.

The offices of the commission at its corporate headquarters, Abuja, officially opened for customers and staff to carry out daily business transactions.

It was reported that aside official duties, commercial and private businesses by food vendors and hawkers adjacent to the building, also resumed fully.

A cross section of the vendors said they were excited that the union and management had reached an agreement, adding that their businesses could now flourish.

Mrs Roseline Okoye, said ”I used to make more than N10,000 a day but since the strike started, I didn’t even sell up to N400 because no customers”.

Mr John Martins, commercial photocopy operator, said that the strike had caused him a lot of losses.

”You can imagine since the strike started I sometime cannot make my transport fee back home because no customers.

Mr Samuel Ebenezer, a photographer, expressed gladness over resumption of work.

”You can see customers are here to take passport photographs.

”This shows that I will go back home smiling. It has not been easy since the strike started.

Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, a member of CAC staff, said “staying at home doing nothing was not easy for me”.

Mrs Ruth Balogun said ” I pray for positive changes as the union and management work together”.

The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) CAC Chapter, embarked on a warning strike over alleged non-payment of salary arrears on July 17.

During the dispute, the union blocked the premises of the commission, preventing its top management staff from accessing their offices.

The strike was called off on the order of the National Industrial Arbitration Court, Abuja, on July 26.

The court ordered AUCPTRE to unblock the premises, to allow staff and business activities to resume.

The strike, which started on July 17, lasted for eight working days.

The Chairman, Staff Union CAC, Mr Ibrahim Kirfi, told our reporter that the strike had been called off.

The commission’s spokesperson, Mr Godfrey Ike, said the strike had been called off and staff were now in their offices working.

”We want to take the past behind us and move forward,” Ike said.