The statewide strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Imo State to protest unpaid wages and violations of staff amongst others, has thrown Owerri, the state capital, and different components of the state into darkness.
However Imo State authorities described NLC’s motion as a deliberate and calculated plan to disrupt the sleek working of the state.
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Already, members of Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, department of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Pure Gasoline Staff, NUPENG, have stopped bringing petroleum merchandise into the state.
The State Administrative Committee, SAC, led by its Chairman, George Ofoegbu, who’s coordinating the strike, mentioned a lot of the ministries have been shut down.
Based on him,
As we converse, electrical energy provide to the state has been shut down since yesterday (Wednesday), petroleum merchandise provide by PTD has ceased, and filling stations are presently being closed. Owerri Airport has been closed, which means, that no flight takes off or comes into the Airport.
Ministries, Companies and Departments have closed places of work.Faculties of Training, Universities and Polytechnics led by Nationwide Affiliation of Tutorial Technologists, NAAT,Senior Workers Affiliation of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, Faculties of Training Tutorial Workers Union,COEASU, and others have absolutely complied.
Nonetheless, a employees of one of many airways, who spoke on situation of anonymity, mentioned,
We really obtained communication from our mother or father union concerning the indefinite industrial motion. The strike is meant to have commenced 12 midnight, Wednesday.
Nonetheless, solely Air Peace Airline operated its flight to the Sam Mbakwe Worldwide Cargo Airport, SMICA, at the moment (yesterday). The opposite airways, together with that of my employer, didn’t fly into Owerri at the moment (yesterday). That is the one factor I can inform you for now. I don’t know what it’s going to appear to be tomorrow (at the moment).
Recall that NLC had Wednesday declared an indefinite over amongst others, alleged 20 months wage arrears owed to some staff stigmatised as ghost staff, declaration of about 11,000 staff within the state as ghost staff even whereas they have been bodily at work and diversion of their salaries, and intimidation and harassment of Commerce Union leaders; a witch hunt carried out in numerous guises.
Others embody steady use of instrument of violence towards staff within the state as was furthered within the terror of yesterday (Tuesday), impoundment and unlawful diversion of Union dues within the state, declaration of about 10,000 pensioners as ghost Pensioners and refusing to pay them for over 22 months resulting in the demise of many, harassment and intimidation of your complete workforce with fixed threats of violence and sack and the resort to blackmail and falsehood by the Info Commissioner of the state whose notorious position as an assault canine of the administration has not solely scuttled affordable and efficient social dialogue however has additionally introduced the state to ridicule.
Reacting to the allegations by Ajaero that the federal government meddled within the botched election of the state chapter of NLC, the state Commissioner for Info and Technique, Declan Emelumba accused Ajaero of mendacity to cowl his “soiled position within the sordid affair”.
Emelumba submitted:
Aside from being a pathological liar, availble data to authorities is that it was Ajaero himself that truly disrupted the election as a result of he wished to impose his stooge on the employees.