.Okorocha To Reinstate Suspended Workers
.NLC Order Workers Back To Work, Suspend Protest.
. As APC National Chairman, Others Storm Owerri for Solidarity To Imo Gov.
Why We Opposed Rochas- Labour
BY GRACE IGWEANYI And EZE EGEJURU
A source who spoke to INNONEWS.COM said this was the highlight of the meeting. More details of the meeting are being awaited. The meeting had commenced on Tuesday night (10th February 2016) and ended about close to midnight.
Labour had earlier ordered Imo workers to return to work from tomorrow. (11th February, 2016)
NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba who spoke to thousands of protesting workers in Owerri said that the order was in line with its discussion with representatives of Imo State government held last night at Government House, Owerri.
.Labour had shut down all activities at the Sam Mbakwe airport, Owerri and other government offices under the NLC to effect compliance of the protest.
Meanwhile, workers trooped out in their numbers for the planned protest as scheduled. As early as 7 am, they gathered along Owerri- Port Harcourt road, close to the State Secretariat, Owerri, where they marched to Okigwe round about junction.
The State secretariat was under lock and key for the rest of the day.
Labour leaders from Abuja, neighbouring South East, South – South and some South West States as well were present to show solidarity. The protest was to express their displeasure over the lingering issue of the concession policy by the state government as well as the suspension of workers from 19 parastatals in the State.
Governor Rochas Okorocha who had earlier addressed thousands of youths in the State explained that his administration can no longer borrow to pay workers salaries. He said he cannot encourage redundancy in the civil service as his administration will not allow workers salaries to overshadow other developmental plans he has for Imo State and his free education policy.
In his speech, the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, and John Odigie Oyegun said the APC national leadership came into Imo State to show solidarity to Okorocha in the face of labour/State government face off.
He urged the youths to continue to defend the generality of the people of Imo State, urging them to stand with their Governor.
Oyegun said Okorocha wants to use the resources of the State to continue his developmental projects for the people, stressing that it was unfair for the Governor to continue borrowing just to be paying workers salaries.
He said the APC stand with Okorocha, stating that the interest of the people is more paramount.
However, the NLC and TUC listed its grouse with the Imo State government.
It said Governor Okorocha’s response to the economic situation in the country as it affects Imo State is comical.
In a leaflet it circulated to workers and journalists and obtained by this online newspaper, it said “Okorocha like an imperial majesty, instead of an elected servant of Imo people has through radio announcements been sacking workers, closing down government agencies and parastatals.
“He has developed a huge appetite for withholding workers salaries across board, including the allowances of pensioners.
“He has continued to do this by flouting industrial relations law and laid down due process as he arrogantly and in defiance of the law carries out his unpopular action through radio and other media pronouncements.
“Barley 48 hours after the NLC had met with earlier in 2016 and the assurances he gave that he would not act outside the law, his government went on air to suspend workers across 19 parastatals in the State.
“The announcement was followed by the deployment of armed private security meetings and thugs to chase out workers from their offices.
“This act of brutalization has left a number of workers with injuries e.g medical doctor was shot, beaten to a state of coma at Uboma General Hospital. Other health workers were similarly stacked and wounded at Mbieri General Hospital.
“Another doctor is lying critically ill following gunshot injuries he received from the Police at the instance of Governor Rochas Okorocha.
The Labour leaders said they are “very concerned about these serial acts of barbarism by a man who presented an image of a democrat, a welfarist and anti poverty crusader to win election only now to turn around against the working class who constituted at least 60% of the voters that brought him to power in the belief that he would make life better”
They demanded that the State government should recall all sacked workers with immediate effect, stop further sack of workers without following laid down procedures for disengaging workers, withdraw all security personnel around workers except those on normal security surveillance and stop all immediately the harassment and intimidation of workers by the governor’s private militia
No comments:
Write comments