Okorocha To Labour Leaders: Imo Workers Act Like Opposition Members

BY EZE EGEJURU

ROCHAS

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has told the national President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba and labour leaders in the South East and South- Soth that they are misinformed on the condition of workers in Imo State.

Okorocha who addressed the labour leaders at Government House, Owerri Thursday said workers in Imo State behave like opposition members.

The Imo State government and workers have been at loggerheads over plans by Okorocha to sack 4,000 workers from the State workforce. During the 2016 Budget presentation to the House of Assembly, the Governor announced that the government had concluded plans to disengage about 4,000 workers to reduce the wage bill of the government.

This led to massive protests in Owerri city by the workers on Wednesday, January 14,2015 who marched through major roads and streets carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “We cannot Be Intimidated by Okorocha, “enough is enough” Let Imo Workers be” and “Salary is our right not Privilege”

NLC national President, Ayuba who addressed the workers after the rally before visiting Okorocha said the intended action of government to sack workers was not acceptable to Labour.

He warned against the plan to disengage workers, though local tabloids later in Owerri later reported that he told eh governor to resign if he cannot pay workers salaries

Okorocha said he appreciates the concern of the labour leaders from Abuja, but accused the State chairman of the NLC, Austin Chilakpu of instigating workers against the State government.

Okorocha said he is the first governor in the federation to pay workers N20, 000 minimum wage when others are paying N18, 000, stressing that he ensures that workers are paid on the 18^th of every month in the past for four years.

“ The labour leaders instigated the workers to go on strike when the government owed them just one month which was unnecessary” he alleged.

He said the workers in the State remain ungrateful and not partners with the State government, stressing that no workers is owed a dime in Imo State except workers of state owed palm oil producing company, ADAPALM because of issues arising from their employment which the State government is striving to sort out.