By Dayo Johnson
Akure—FOR the second day running, both business and other activities were grounded in Ondo State, yesterday as the strike and mass protest declared by organised labour and its civil society allies bit harder.

Major towns in the state were deserted as vehicle owners stayed off the roads while shop owners and market owners shut their business premises.

Petrol stations, government offices and schools (public and private) remained shut in total compliance to the strike .

During the protest led by the state Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, chairman, Comrade Bosede Daramola, the protesters chanted anti government slogans and marched through major streets displaying different placards which called for the reversal of petrol price hike by the government.

Though youths set up bonfires and barricaded major roads,

the protest was generally peaceful.

Many youths turned the major roads in Akure metropolis and other towns in the state into football fields.

A pamphlet distributed by the protesters stated: “Jonathan has ignited fire in Nigeria. We must stop him Now. Nigerians say no to withdrawal of fuel subsidy. Reject IMF/World Bank policies now.”

Issued by the Publicity Bureau of Labour and Civil Society Coalition, LASCO, it saluted the courage and perseverance of Nigerians in the face of unimaginable pains, sorrow, agony and total war declared on the masses by the Federal Government.

It said the illegal decision was nothing but “a gradual death pill being forced down our throats against our collective wishes. We must all rise up to fight against this self seeking, unpopular and dehumanising policy.”