SACKED 3,000 WORKERS: Okorocha bows to Labour
Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha,
yesterday, bowed to the superior force of labour and
recalled the over 3,000 workers he summarily sacked mid
January, 2016.
Organized labour had made good its threat to shut down
Imo State over the sack of 3,000 workers and months of
unpaid salary arrears among others, with the
commencement of a three-day warning strike.
Addressing workers at the State Secretariat of the
Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, before leading a
peaceful procession into the heart of the town, the
factional President of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC,
Comrade Ayuba Wabba, explained that all the labour
leaders in the country emptied into Imo State, to enforce
the shut down of the state government activities.
“This is just a three-day warning strike. The leadership of
labour will again meet and re-strategize, if the state
government fails to reinstate all the workers it summarily
sacked without following due process,” Wabba said.
According to the NLC boss, “labour is sending a warning
signal to other state governors, who may be getting ready
to key into Okorocha’s bad system, about the readiness
of NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, to stoutly
resist such cruel, obnoxious and anti-labour policies.”
Wabba warns
Comrade Wabba also warned that labour would be forced
to cut off electricity supply to Government House, Owerri,
if Okorocha refuses to recall the sacked workers
tomorrow (today).
Some of the placards carried by the aggrieved workers,
who also spotted black attire, read: “Failure to pay
salaries equals failure of government”; “Okorocha is
hereby sacked for lack of productivity”; Failure to pay
workers is criminal offence”; Imo workers reject sack and
closure by radio announcements”; Rochas must respect
labour laws,” and “Rochas is the Pharaoh of our time.”
The industrial action, which hard earlier generated
palpable tension and anxiety among residents in the
state, led to the closure of a number of establishments
and institutions.
Vanguard investigations revealed that the establishments
closed by the aggrieved workers, who were irked by the
summary dismissal of over 3,000 of their colleagues by
the Rochas Okorocha administration, included the Sam
Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, the judiciary, public
schools, local government council secretariats and
ministries.
It was also gathered that several prominent
supermarkets, filling stations and fast food centres, shut
down on their own volition, for fear of the unknown, even
as all the major streets, strategic junctions and the local
council secretariats were manned by heavily armed
security personnel.
Although, normal business activities continued in the
major markets within Owerri municipality, Vanguard,
however, noticed low patronage as most residents
remained at home.
Similarly, bank customers were seen making panic
withdrawals yesterday, even as they explained that they
were preparing for the unknown.
Vanguard observed that while the aggrieved workers
chanted all manner of unprintable and derogatory songs
against Okorocha, they also picketed the Government
House.
No government official addressed the protesting workers
while the picketing lasted, but Vanguard gathered that
Governor Okorocha and his visiting National Chairman of
All Progressives Congress, APC, were busy addressing
youths in Government House Chapel.
Bowing to superior force
But rattled by the unfolding scenario, Gov. Okorocha
swallowed his pride and recalled the sacked workers.
Announcing the news yesterday, when he addressed
workers that peacefully processed to Government House,
Owerri, the factional President of Nigeria Labour
Congress, NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the
governor has recalled the embattled workers
unconditionally.
“The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has
accepted to recall the over 3,000 innocent workers he
summarily terminated their appointments without
following due process,” Comrade Wabba said.
He also announced that since the governor has recalled
the sacked workers the warning strike, which ought to
have lasted till Friday, was called off and urged all
workers,to resume work tomorrow (today).
Speaking also, the Imo State NLC Chairman, Comrade
Austin Chilkpu, said: “Since the Imo State Government
has bowed to the demand of the organized Labour, the
issue of concession would also be jettisoned, as this
would ensure that the workers were not unnecessarily
victimized by anybody or organ of government.
“Labour is reminding the governor that other issues
affecting the workers were not only on the table for
discussion, but would be pursued diligently in the days
ahead. Similarly, I would like to assure the workers that
their rights would always be protected by the organized
labour.”
Show of solidarity
Meantime, the national leadership of the ruling All
Progressives Congress, APC, also yesterday aligned itself
with Governor Rochas Okorocha and urged the organized
labour to sheath their swords and support the state
government.
The APC bigwigs, who were led to Owerri by the party’s
National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, told
journalists yesterday that they were in the state to have
first-hand information and assessment of the raging
labour crisis.
Chief Oyegun, who called on the Labour leaders to
cooperate with Governor Okorocha in his effort to make
things work in the state, further explained that his team
had the opportunity of discussing with the labour leaders
and agreed on a number of issues that led to the calling
off of the strike.
“Labour should put the realities on ground into
consideration while negotiating with government,
especially when considered that the government took
proper care of the workers when things were well. The
APC took power when the state of the nation was in a
total collapse”, Chief Oyegun said.
While saying that there was the need for sacrifice, the
APC boss also argued that whatever Nigerians were
experiencing now was temporary, adding the APC was
poised to take the nation out of the current economic
crisis.
“APC as a party, agrees with the governor that it is not
proper to borrow money for salary payment as that will
be a dead end and totally unsustainable,” Oyegun said.
The APC National Chairman stated that his team was
convinced that the governor’s action was in the overall
interest of the people of the state, but however, enjoined
both the government and the labour leaders to
demonstrate flexibility in their dialogue aimed at resolving
all the issues.
Speaking also, Governor Okorocha said his “action was
not for personal benefits, or to enhance his political
career, but for the overall interest of Imo people.”
yesterday, bowed to the superior force of labour and
recalled the over 3,000 workers he summarily sacked mid
January, 2016.
Organized labour had made good its threat to shut down
Imo State over the sack of 3,000 workers and months of
unpaid salary arrears among others, with the
commencement of a three-day warning strike.
Addressing workers at the State Secretariat of the
Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, before leading a
peaceful procession into the heart of the town, the
factional President of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC,
Comrade Ayuba Wabba, explained that all the labour
leaders in the country emptied into Imo State, to enforce
the shut down of the state government activities.
“This is just a three-day warning strike. The leadership of
labour will again meet and re-strategize, if the state
government fails to reinstate all the workers it summarily
sacked without following due process,” Wabba said.
According to the NLC boss, “labour is sending a warning
signal to other state governors, who may be getting ready
to key into Okorocha’s bad system, about the readiness
of NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, to stoutly
resist such cruel, obnoxious and anti-labour policies.”
Wabba warns
Comrade Wabba also warned that labour would be forced
to cut off electricity supply to Government House, Owerri,
if Okorocha refuses to recall the sacked workers
tomorrow (today).
Some of the placards carried by the aggrieved workers,
who also spotted black attire, read: “Failure to pay
salaries equals failure of government”; “Okorocha is
hereby sacked for lack of productivity”; Failure to pay
workers is criminal offence”; Imo workers reject sack and
closure by radio announcements”; Rochas must respect
labour laws,” and “Rochas is the Pharaoh of our time.”
The industrial action, which hard earlier generated
palpable tension and anxiety among residents in the
state, led to the closure of a number of establishments
and institutions.
Vanguard investigations revealed that the establishments
closed by the aggrieved workers, who were irked by the
summary dismissal of over 3,000 of their colleagues by
the Rochas Okorocha administration, included the Sam
Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, the judiciary, public
schools, local government council secretariats and
ministries.
It was also gathered that several prominent
supermarkets, filling stations and fast food centres, shut
down on their own volition, for fear of the unknown, even
as all the major streets, strategic junctions and the local
council secretariats were manned by heavily armed
security personnel.
Although, normal business activities continued in the
major markets within Owerri municipality, Vanguard,
however, noticed low patronage as most residents
remained at home.
Similarly, bank customers were seen making panic
withdrawals yesterday, even as they explained that they
were preparing for the unknown.
Vanguard observed that while the aggrieved workers
chanted all manner of unprintable and derogatory songs
against Okorocha, they also picketed the Government
House.
No government official addressed the protesting workers
while the picketing lasted, but Vanguard gathered that
Governor Okorocha and his visiting National Chairman of
All Progressives Congress, APC, were busy addressing
youths in Government House Chapel.
Bowing to superior force
But rattled by the unfolding scenario, Gov. Okorocha
swallowed his pride and recalled the sacked workers.
Announcing the news yesterday, when he addressed
workers that peacefully processed to Government House,
Owerri, the factional President of Nigeria Labour
Congress, NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the
governor has recalled the embattled workers
unconditionally.
“The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has
accepted to recall the over 3,000 innocent workers he
summarily terminated their appointments without
following due process,” Comrade Wabba said.
He also announced that since the governor has recalled
the sacked workers the warning strike, which ought to
have lasted till Friday, was called off and urged all
workers,to resume work tomorrow (today).
Speaking also, the Imo State NLC Chairman, Comrade
Austin Chilkpu, said: “Since the Imo State Government
has bowed to the demand of the organized Labour, the
issue of concession would also be jettisoned, as this
would ensure that the workers were not unnecessarily
victimized by anybody or organ of government.
“Labour is reminding the governor that other issues
affecting the workers were not only on the table for
discussion, but would be pursued diligently in the days
ahead. Similarly, I would like to assure the workers that
their rights would always be protected by the organized
labour.”
Show of solidarity
Meantime, the national leadership of the ruling All
Progressives Congress, APC, also yesterday aligned itself
with Governor Rochas Okorocha and urged the organized
labour to sheath their swords and support the state
government.
The APC bigwigs, who were led to Owerri by the party’s
National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, told
journalists yesterday that they were in the state to have
first-hand information and assessment of the raging
labour crisis.
Chief Oyegun, who called on the Labour leaders to
cooperate with Governor Okorocha in his effort to make
things work in the state, further explained that his team
had the opportunity of discussing with the labour leaders
and agreed on a number of issues that led to the calling
off of the strike.
“Labour should put the realities on ground into
consideration while negotiating with government,
especially when considered that the government took
proper care of the workers when things were well. The
APC took power when the state of the nation was in a
total collapse”, Chief Oyegun said.
While saying that there was the need for sacrifice, the
APC boss also argued that whatever Nigerians were
experiencing now was temporary, adding the APC was
poised to take the nation out of the current economic
crisis.
“APC as a party, agrees with the governor that it is not
proper to borrow money for salary payment as that will
be a dead end and totally unsustainable,” Oyegun said.
The APC National Chairman stated that his team was
convinced that the governor’s action was in the overall
interest of the people of the state, but however, enjoined
both the government and the labour leaders to
demonstrate flexibility in their dialogue aimed at resolving
all the issues.
Speaking also, Governor Okorocha said his “action was
not for personal benefits, or to enhance his political
career, but for the overall interest of Imo people.”