Owerri, the Imo State capital was shut down yesterday by hundreds of protesting workers of ministries and parastatals over the non-payment of their salaries for several months by the state government.
The aggrieved workers, who wore black attires with placards bearing such inscriptions as “stop this greed and pay us our salaries,” “stop this impunity, pay local government medical and health workers,” “Owelle, pay retired primary school teachers their outstanding gratuities from 1998 to date.” “Our children are dying of hunger,” “we say no to Imo State House of Assembly passing a bill on privatizing state parastatals” etc, barricaded all major roads within the city which resulted in heavy traffic jam forcing commuters to trek to their destinations.
The aggrieved workers, later preceded to the state House of Assembly where they protested the passage of the obnoxious bill legalising and privatising all parastatals in the state, which they claimed was secretly passed into law by the state House of Assembly. The protesters took over the state Assembly Complex, blocking the entrance.
Speaker Acho Ihim, who managed to address the workers under heavy protection of Armed Police Mobile Force, however, dismissed the allegation as baseless.
However, the protesting workers, who were chanting solidarity songs with invectives on the government for alleged insensitivity to their predicament, later converged on the Freedom Square adjacent to the popular Orlu Road/Warehouse Junction where the chairman of NLC, Austine Chilakpu and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Paul Akalazu jointly addressed them.
The labour leaders wondered how the workers in the state could survive amidst the nation’s economic down turn without salaries, lamenting that the economy of the state had been grounded as a result of non payment of their salaries.
“How can we survive without salary and if they slash your salary, do not accept it,” they counseled.
The trade unionists, who gave a break down of the unpaid salary arrears owed workers advised them to remain calm and not to be intimidated by the antics of the state Head of Service (HOS), Mr. Calistus Ekenze who, according to them had compiled list of workers absent from their duty posts for necessary action.
But reacting to the protest, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo admonished the leaders of organised labour in the state to be patriotic and not lend themselves as tools to destabilise the state.
“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..
Adding,It is also on record that the one week strike the labour leaders had made workers to embark on, also took the same pattern. And this is the area the government is much worried.
The government’s worry is also heightened when it is found out that even states with high salary arrears, the workers there have not been called out for strike or protest. But only Imo with the lowest salary issue, and the government is working assiduously to deal with the issue once and for all.
As a government, we only want to repeat our appeal to the leaders of the organized labour in the state, to be patriotic and show understanding if their intention is to make the government pay salaries and pensions. And they are also expected to follow developments across the nation in their actions”. He stated.

Source: http://sunnewsonline.com/new/unpaid-salaries-labour-shuts-down-imo/

Lalasticlala over to you!

Rochas OkoroAWUSA

seriously....



Hope Ban ki moon will approve UN loan Rochas to pay salary.

Rochas Okorocha should respond to this
















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DickDastardly:
Rochas OkoroAWUSA

Address the issue. why name calling. Do you know that Okorocha is one of the south eastern leaders that has political foresight? Igbo presidency could be achieved if you support him but many of you call him names.

Zakkyoz:



Address the issue. why name calling. Do you know that Okorocha is one of the south eastern leaders that has political foresight? Igbo presidency could be achieved if you support him but many of you call him names.

ok sir

[quote author=DickDastardly post=37340658] ok sir[/quote
God bless you.

Even the 'angels' commit sin.

To me the level of lies our Govs are churning out is disturbing. You hard see any that will say one thing and meant it. What has a committee has to do with salary payment? And why will you in he gave of challenges as this, set up a committee who also draws allowances from the lean resources?

These are men with children in the school;
with mouths to fees;
and other financial obligations to perform.

I warned them when they where voting in that idiot on a man.

Rochas owning workers while his Anambra counterpart is increasing workers salary by 15%.

APC change!!!

Hmmmmmm.. rochas pay ur people..