…I am one of you, says governor
Smarting from a no confidence vote on the Austin Chilakpu-led Imo State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), workers in the state on Monday, rose to the occasion of a better working relationship with government, raising a team from their ranks that will henceforth conduct their affairs in the interest of workers and the government.
The new interim leadership which has Chief Ndubuisi Ucheghara as Chairman said they are committed to the overall welfare of Imo workers, and that Chilakpu has lost the credibility and trust needed to pilot the affairs of workers in Imo State.
He reiterated on behalf of his colleagues that they have in one voice passed a vote of no confidence on Chilakpu.
Ucheghara told Governor Hope Uzodimma that they have been mandated by the entire workers of Imo State to take over the leadership from the old stock as nature abhors vacuum, having established that Imo workers have been deceived for a long time and will no longer want to be in the same problem.
Ucheghara told the Governor: “Labour exist to complement government, Labour cannot fight government because when the Labour leadership fights government the workers suffer.”
Ucheghara noted that a reasonable leadership is now in-charge of NLC in Imo State, and that the leadership understands the direction of the Governor in making Imo workers’ welfare a priority and so, are determined to support him to the fullest.
The new workers leadership informed that every leader aspires to be part of a success story and that they are prepared to ensure that NLC in Imo State is part of the success story of the Shared Prosperity Government which has already made tremendous impact in the areas of road infrastructure, as can be seen at Chukwuma Nwoha and the water tunnel that empties into Otamiri river as well as other giant strides of the just one year prosperity government.
The new leadership of NLC in Imo State however made a single request to the government which is, the promotion of Imo workers which last exercise took place in 2014.
They passionately appealed to the Governor to look at the workers plight and direct the Head of Service to put the process in motion for government to give the workers their promotions where some workers are already in arrears of two promotions.
Welcoming the new leadership of NLC, the Governor expressed his willingness to partner with them and assured that “government will work with them with all sincerity of purpose.”
In reaffirming his relationship with the Imo workers, the governor reminded them that he is “one of them.”
The governor acceded to their single demand on promotion of Imo workers as at when do, saying that workers in Imo will be promoted when certain processes must have been undertaken by a Committee that will soon be constituted to work with the Office of Head of Service.
The governor agreed with the new leadership that a worker deserves his wage at the appropriate time and that promotion is one of the most encouraging instruments to workers who look forward to being promoted at the right time.
Governor Uzodimma highlighted the journey of his administration in relation with Labour in Imo State from inception to date, noting that government kept faith with her maiden broadcast of prioritizing the welfare of workers, renovation and re-roofing of the State Secretariat, provision of official vehicles to Permanent Secretaries, payment of salaries of over 40,000 workers and 20,000 pensioners up to December, 2020, among others. He said all were done in an attempt to make Imo workers comfortable.
He regretted that the Labour leadership, instead of showing appreciation, had gone into covert and overt blackmail of his government, calling it names they know are not correct.
He expressed shock that instead of helping their colleagues who for one reason or the other were not getting their salaries, “the Labour leadership tried to compound their problems by calling for strike when government had distributed verification forms to enable them state clearly their employment history and where their problem lies.”
Governor Uzodimma stated that the Labour leaderships must take a second look at a situation where retired workers lead those that are still serving. “The workers Union should be led by serving workers, while retired ones should join the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP),” he submitted.
Governor Uzodimma thanked the new leadership for beholding the truth and promised them unequivocal and sincere partnership.