Economic activities in Imo may be grounded if the latest threats from the National President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC,Comrade Ayuba Wabba is anything to go by.
Comrade Wabba who visited Imo State NLC Secretariat Complex, New Owerri yesterday to address workers over unpaid arrears of salaries regretted that thugs allegedly hired by the present shared prosperity Government in the State have taken over the Labour House.
He expressed dissatisfaction over Imo State Government’s failure to adopt and look into key issues bothering workers even when NLC had earlier sent a delegation led by the National Vice President of NUPENG to the State for negotiation between Government and trade union. “A Joint Committee was set up to look into the issues, but Imo Government has kept mute since then. I am aware that some workers were deleted from the payroll and they have been protesting. While some of them have not received arrears of salaries in the past ten and eleven months in Imo State.
We are five delegates here today for the National Labour Advisory Council, and we seized this opportunity to visit our Secretariat to ascertain if it is truth that thugs have taken over the complex, and that’s truth. I think Government should throw the path of making peace,rather than adding fire into such an ugly situation”. “By the time we deploy workers from Southeast and south south, the thugs will not withstand us. My two National Deputy Presidents, Comrade,Godwin Amaechi and Comrade Bello are here. NLC is an independent association. Some people who are using political power to undermine an existing strong institution like NLC should not forget that they came into power through our votes. I am surprise to hear that an Imo High Court gave an order for the appointment of NULGE,Imo State Caretaker Committee. That’s a ” black market” order. It is only National Industrial Court that has jurisdiction to abdicate Labour Union matters”,the NLC President stated.
The NLC boss described one Mr. Ndubuisi Ucheghara who parades himself as the NLC chairman, Imo State chapter as a “black sheep” in their Union adding that the Union has a laid down rules and regulations and would sanction him and his group in a due course. “Ucheghara and his cohorts are impersonators. Comrade Austin Chilakpu led executives remain the authentic NLC leadership in Imo State. I want the Union to remain united as the struggle continues. It is unfortunate that Ucheghara should allow himself to be used by Government to jeopardize his fellow human-beings means of livelihood.
Meanwhile, Comrade Austin Chilakpu handed over all their protest letters to the NLC National President.
