OWERRI—Owerri, the Imo State capital, was virtually paralysed yesterday, as angry civil
servants and pensioners trooped into the streets to protest months of unpaid salaries and allowances.
The protesting workers, and pensioner, who
spotted black attire, also carried several placards
with varying inscriptions, also sang derogatory
songs against Governor Rochas Okorocha and his
administration.
Some of the placards read: “Water have not been
running in Imo since over 4 years; Imo
Newspapers workers owed a total of 23 and half
months, arrears of salaries; President Buhari come
to the rescue of Imo State workers; Our children
are dying of hunger and disease; Stop this impunity and pay LGA workers; We say no to IMHA passing a bill on privatization of parastatals; and Families of unpaid dead retired workers cry for justice.”
The protesters’ first port of call was the State
House of Assembly where they barricaded the
gates and prevented the lawmakers from entering
the premises. There, they kicked against alleged
planned passage of an obnoxious law to legalize
and privatize all government parastatals in the
state.
The Speaker, Mr. Acho Ihim, who barely managed
to address the angry protsters, however dismissed
the allegation as baseless.
Addressing the workers later at the Freedom
Square, the state factional Chairman of Nigeria
Labour Congress, NLC, Austin Chilakpu, and the
Trade Union Congress, TUC, Chairman, Paul
Akalazu, lamented the unpaid benefits.
After giving a breakdown of the unpaid salaries,
they appealed to workers and pensioners to remain
calm, and not to be intimidated by what they
called “the dirty antics of the Head of Service, Mr.
Callistus Ekenze, who allegedly compiled list of
workers absent from their duty posts to participate
in the protest.
Government’s reactionReacting on behalf of Governor Okorocha, his
media aide, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said “the
labour leaders should be patriotic and avoid being
tools in the hands of some elements”.
Onwuemeodo’s reaction reads “One had expected
the leaders of the organized labour in the state to
appreciate the concerted effort the state
government has been making to totally deal with
the issues of salary and pensions. The labour
leaders are also expected to show understanding
knowing full well what the general situation is at
the moment across the nation.
“The fact remains that the state government has
been able, even without the much expected bailout
fund, paid the civil servants, teachers and local
government workers up to June salaries.
The government had also repeatedly made its position known on some of the parastatals, while steps are also being taken to handle issues of salaries in the parastatals once the panels reviewing their cases finish their jobs. On the issue of pensioners, their verification had begun earlier before now and is about to be concluded. And once the verifications are over, the state government would begin to act to that effect since the desire of the governor and the government he superintends, is to see Imo people happy.”
“The labour leaders are aware of these government’s efforts. Yet, they forced workers to
embark on one week strike, even in breach of the
agreement they had reached and signed with the
state government. And even when they know too,
that the bailout fund has not come.
Against the backdrop of all these glaring facts, the leaders of the organized labour in the state also called the workers out on Tuesday August 25, 2015 on protest, and two days after they heard that the Election Petition Tribunal would be giving
Judgment on the appeal by one of the candidates
in the April governorship election, against the
electoral victory of the governor.”
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