3,000 sacked workers: NLC unfolds strategies to tackle Imo govt

ABUJA—NIGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, has unfolded strategies to force Imo State Government to recall more than 3,000 sacked workers and pay the backlog of salaries and other benefits of the state workforce.Congress which Monday set  up a six-man action committee on planned industrial action against Imo State government, said the committee is made up of Ayuba Wabba; Joe Ajaero, President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG; Igwe Achese, President of Construction Union; Amechi Asugwunin, General Secretary  of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU; Peters Adeyemi and General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, Issa Aremu.

Leaders of congress who are on the
same page on the Imo State issue, have  agreed that the action should go beyond mere strike by the state public workers, but that power and fuel supplies to the state should be cut off, banks and shops should be closed down, and all flights into and out of the state be stopped among others until the government fulfilled labour’s demands.

It will be recalled that the Ajaero led faction of NLC had Friday, January 22, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government to recall the sacked workers and pay their benefits, among others or the state would be shut down by labour.

Briefing, Mr. Joe Ajaero, alongside other leaders of his faction, said within the next 14 days, the Imo State government must purge itself of unlawful actions including “the Governor of Imo State must rescind the  illegal announcement purportedly sacking 3,000 of our members. All workers said to have been sacked must be recalled immediately and their entitlements fully paid,” among others.