In its bid to push through its demand for the payment of the N18,000 minimum wage by the Imo state government, the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress has embarked on an indefinite strike action, thereby crippling economic activities in the state.


The strike action climaxed on Friday, when activities at all banks and other offices were brought to a halt. Addressing workers yesterday at the State Secretariat, along Port Harcourt Road in Owerri, the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Reginald Anyadike, accused the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, of being insensitive to the plight of the workers, adding that the governor had no reason whatsoever to deny or delay the payment of N18, 000 minimum wage as announced by the federal government, which other states of the federation had accepted.


He said the strike was consequent upon the refusal of the Imo State government to sign the N18,000 minimum wage table jointly prepared by government and labour, coupled with several violations of establishment matters by the state government.


“The organised labour in Imo State is highly disappointed at the level of unseriousness exhibited by government as against the brotherly love and solidarity shown to the Owelle’s government by labour in the state.


“Against this backdrop, the leadership of the organised labour therefore directs all workers both in the civil, public and private sectors service to embark on an indefinite strike action till Imo State Government is ready to resolve all labour issues especially the issues of the N18, 000 minimum wage,” the NLC chairman said.


No government official was ready to talk on the issue as THISDAY reliably gathered that the governor was busy holding a closed-door meeting with traditional rulers in the state.


Meanwhile, Governor Okorocha has challenged the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to contribute in the ongoing war against terrorism in the country, saying the corps should always uphold patriotism in discharging its functions now that it has been empowered to carry arms.


Speaking at the passing out parade ceremony and commissioning of the Civil Defence armed unit in Owerri, Okorocha stated that though Nigeria is not known for terrorism, the recent cases of suicide-bombing have created a serious challenge to security agencies.

cmon:

Source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/minimum-wage-imo-workers-begin-indefinite-strike/98682/

Governor Rochas Anayo Okorocha of Imo State has announced the sack of the Council Chairmen and Councillors of Imo state and the Development Areas despite advise from several persons not to do so . According to Okorocha, the present council system is characterised by corruption and indiscipline and has totally lost the confidence of the people. [b]The governor also announced the suspension of what he called 'the so called Ohakim 10,000 jobs' By this action ,10.000 employed graduates of Imo state working in various ministries in the state have lost their jobs.[/b] Others that received the bitter leaf soup of the governor are the State Council of Traditional Rulers headed by Eze Cletus Ilomuanya and the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Imo State University Professor Osy Nwebo
[b]
I have said it that one thing that I see that may throw spanner in the works of the Okorocha´s administration if not put under control is the governor´s quick temper. His hot head makes him to make hasty decision not minding the legal implications of his actions. The governor easily jumps into a fray. His actions in recent times are evidence of bad legal advisers around him.Example of bad legal advisers at work is the sacking of council chairmen in Imo State and the disengagement of 10,000 workers. These are hasty decisions and unhealthy ones too.[/b]

[b]
To me the governor is stepping on the toes of the law. There are actions a newly elected governor should avoid due to sensitivity and consequences. Why do we have to make 10,000 persons jobless simply because we hate the man who employed them. Majority of the disengaged workers fought for the election of the governor believing that a Daniel has come to save Imo state. You can imagine how the governor wants to repay them for their votes, by throwing them into the unemployment market. The beneficiaries of the 10,000 jobs offered by the immediate past governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim have staged a peaceful protest on the major roads of Owerri, against the suspension of the programme by Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. One of the affected workers while speaking with me on phone was weeping like a baby. To him the governor has left them unprepared to function in our modern economy.

Who doesn't know that the sacking of elected LGA chairmen is an illegality that cannot stand the test of time or the scrutiny of a competent court of jurisdiction. They are democratically elected officials of councils and have specific period to be in office. This dissolution of elected council officials run contrary to the Constitution that recognises councils as the third tier of government. The sacked local government area chairmen have filed suits to challenge the matter in the law court.[/b]


http://www.modernghana.com/news/333426/1/imo-state-governor-and-the-biblical-rehoboam.html

Nigeria: Sacked Imo Workers Storm Assembly


.Owerri — Hundreds of youths engaged through the 10,000-job-scheme of the defunct Ikedi Ohakim administration in Imo State who were sacked on Monday by Governor Rochas Okorocha on Tuesday blocked the Imo State House of Assembly and stopped scheduled inauguration of the Seventh Assembly.

It took intervention of soldiers and policemen to disperse the youths, as they insisted that the Assembly would not be inaugurated until the Governor rescinded his sack order against them.

In a broadcast on Monday, Okorocha had ordered immediate disengagement of the employees engaged by his predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim, to create jobs in the state. Also sacked were elected chairmen and councilors in the 27 local government councils of the state, including the Development Areas as well as the Council of Traditional Rulers.

However, while many in the state applauded the sack of the council officials and the council of the traditional rulers, some disagreed with the Governor over disengagement of the new employees.

The disengaged youths later marched to the Assumpta Cathedral where they sought to lay their complaint to the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Dioceses Anthony Obinna.

Later, the group marched to the Government House, Owerri, where they met with the Governor.

Addressing them, Okorocha stated that the purported employment of 10,000 youths by the past administration in the state was shrouded in corruption and fraud, saying he did not sack them as alleged but set aside the programme in order to repackage and reform it for the better.

ekt_bear:

A lot of smoke, no fire.

I hope the people of Imo State are not already disappointed by Rochas.