Jos — All public activities in Plateau State came to a halt as at 12 midnight yesterday following the directives to public workers by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to embark on a sit at home strike today due to failure of the state government to implement the N18, 000 minimum wage as well as pay local government workers and primary school teachers their salary arrears.

The organised labour had given the state government a 10 days ultimatum within which to act or face industrial action. The ultimatum was to expire yesterday midnight.

The state government responded by obtaining a court injunction from the National Industrial court Abuja, restraining the organised labour union from going ahead with the strike. But the labour through the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Jibrin Banchir said the strike will go on since it was a directive from the national headquarters and that labour was not served with the injunction.

However, a glimpse of hope appeared yesterday when some concerned elders in the state approached the labour for a last minute dialogue. Banchir told Daily Trust that "we met with some concerned elders of the state who decided to mediate with labour on behalf of the state government. We met with them last week and they decided to intervene today (yesterday) to see how the issue can be resolved."

The elders, according to him, included some leaders of religious denominations who had gone ahead to meet with Governor Jonah David Jang after their meeting but the outcome was unsuccessful.

A reliable source told our reporter that the labour had set up a committee to monitor compliance. It was also learnt that some union members of the Plateau Radio Television (PRTVC) had called a congress meeting yesterday and vowed to comply with the strike.

Daily Trust observed various military trucks carrying members of the Special Task Force (STF) were seen in all parts of Jos metropolis apparently to maintain law and order.