The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Imo State Chapter has declared that it has no industrial dispute with Governor Hope Uzodimma administration, describing the allegation of lack of respect for workers, unpaid salaries and pensions, against the Imo state government by its national President, Joe Ajaero as untrue.
The organised Labour in Imo State stated that its relationship with the State government is cordial and wondered why Ajaero should call for “Occupy Imo Protest”.
Rev Philip Nwansi, the Acting Chairman of NLC, Imo State Chapter, noted that aside that there is no pending industrial dispute with the Imo State government, there is a subsisting Court order stopping the NLC from embarking on any such protest in Imo.
Nwansi declared that since the Labour had no industrial dispute with the State government and since the Court has declared the planned strike illegal, workers in Imo were directed to go about their duties in their offices.
Nwansi had on Monday night met with other labour leaders in the State and declared that organised labour in Imo will not be part of the Ajaero’s planned protest because they did not see any reason why the national body should order a strike in the state.
Insisting that organised labour in Imo State has been on the same page with the State government, Nwansi wondered why the national body should cry more than the bereaved, even as he dissociated its members from Ajaero’s ‘Occupy Imo State protest scheduled from tomorrow, November 1, 2023 (today).
The Industrial Court sitting in Owerri had last Friday, October 27, 2023 granted an order restraining the NLC from embarking on any industrial action in Imo State.
Nwansi said based on the court order, the planned strike code named “occupy Imo” had become illegal.
“All the affiliate unions, we are obeying the court order and we urge all Imo workers to be on their duty posts tomorrow as law abiding citizens,” Nwansi directed.
He said apart from the court order, the organised Labour in Imo State doesn’t see any reason why the national body should order a strike.
“Workers of Imo State say vehemently no to “occupy Imo” because we have not found reasons enough for the action,” he argued.
In defiance to the subsisting court order, Ajaero, on Wednesday arrived Owerri to lead the ‘Occupy Imo Protest”.
He was reported arrested by security operatives and taken to an unknown destination.
According to sources, the labour leader was arrested at the secretariat of the NLC in Imo while he was about to lead an ‘Occupy Imo’ protest slated for today.
The police are yet to comment on the matter.
On Monday night, the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN), Imo State Chapter, had advised the leadership of the NLC, to shelve the idea of occupying Imo State in the name of strike because of the negative impact it will have on the people.
The body said that it was unthinkable for Labour leaders to contemplate strike in Imo or any other part of the country for that matter now because of what the people are already passing through.
Chairman of CAN, Imo State Chapter, Rev. Eches Divine Eches gave the advice when speaking to newsmen during a courtesy call on Governor Hope Uzodimma at the Government House Owerri by the group.
Eches who said the CAN had come to restate her position on the Imo Charter of Equity as the way to go in guaranteeing political stability in Imo, also commended the Governor on the giant strides he has recorded in the State since mounting the saddle.
The CAN also said it was an opportunity for her to “appeal to the Nigerian Labour Congress led by Joe Ajaero to shelve their planned industrial action and occupation of Imo State for its negative impact on the populace of Imo State which include increased hardship and more set back on the economy of the State.”
The CAN Chairman said that the Imo State Government under Governor Uzodimma has remained committed to the prompt payment of salaries of workers in Imo State and the pensioners, including payment of 13th month salary to the workers consecutively for two years now and wondered if NLC leadership under Ajaero is not pursuing political agenda with the call for strike in Imo State.
Rev Eches who said that the CAN is not aware of any sour relationship between the workers in Imo State and the Government as the workers themselves have at different fora confessed of being well taken care of by the Governor, cautioned those sowing seed of discord between the government and the workers in Imo State to be mindful of the implications.
He said that the only justification for anyone saying that the government of Imo State has not treated the workers well is if the person saying so has political intention at his or her back. He said such thoughts have implications before God and man.
He however commended the Governor for his achievements in all sectors of the socio-economic angles of the State like in the roads infrastructure, healthcare, education, youth and women empowerment and job creation through the Skill-Up Imo Project.