By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—The  five-day warning strike embarked by civil servants in Imo State, has continued to take its toll on government activities and the citizens.

Vanguard investigations revealed that apart from the closure of all government offices and parastatals across the 27 local council areas, other important functions scheduled for the week were, however, cancelled.

Only yesterday, thousands of primary school pupils, scheduled to sit for the First School Leaving Examination in all centres, were turned back by their teachers.

Similarly, the proposed resumption of plenary by members of Imo State House of Assembly, could not hold as the striking workers shut the legislature and prevented the lawmakers from having access into the complex.

Some self-employed citizens, especially the commercial tricycle operators, who spoke to Vanguard on the effects of the strike, complained bitterly that patronage had reduced.

Meanwhile, the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Austen Chilakpu, had expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance by workers.

While debunking the claim that government was only owing two months salaries, Chilakpu said that staff of Imo Newspapers Limited, the publishers of The Statesman, were owed 23 months and Imo Specialist Hospital, Owerri, four months.

Continuing, Chilakpu equally disclosed that staff of Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, and Imo Broadcasting Corporation, IBC, were each owed five months salaries.

Answering a question, the NLC Chairman disclosed that government was yet to establish formal contact with the organized labour since the commencement of the warning strike.