General strike call

Nigeria's main trade union federation, the Nigeria Labour Congress, has called on private sector workers to down tools next week in support of civil service employees who went on strike earlier this month in 24 of the country's 36 states demanding that the government pay them an agreed minimum wage, news organisations reported on Thursday. The new monthly minimum wage of 3,000 naira (US $33) was agreed in March: "We are committed to ensuring the full implementation of this agreement" before 29 May when the new civilian government is sworn in, NLC president,Adams Oshiomhole, was quoted as saying. He said he expected private sector workers to join the strike on 6 May. The reports said 26 states had agreed to the minimum wage while 10 were still uncommitted. Support for the strike, which has been varied, gained momentum on Monday when the Nigerian teachers union joined closing schools around the country.