Labour warns Okorocha over relocation of workers to rural areas
The Organized Labour in Imo State has warned the state government to discard its proposal to relocate workers in the state to rural areas, in addition to its plan to convert the state secretariat to other uses than that for which it was erected.
In a letter to Governor Rochas Okorocha dated 21st August, 2017 and jointly signed by the state NLC chairman- Comrade Austine Chilakpu,the Trade Union Congress(TUC) counterpart Comrade Akalazu Paul , the Joint Negotiation Council(JNC) chairman Comrade Aloy Iwuanyanwu, and made available to newsmen on Thursday argued that the synergy among ministries and extra-ministerial departments in the state would disappear immediately if they are made to operate from different locations in the state.
The labour leaders expressed concern that the measure if enforced would inflict untold hardship for citizens of the state who would no longer stay in one location and conclude any transaction involving two ministries or agencies.
“Added to the above, the state workers will be plunged into abject poverty and the risk of having to travel from one location to another they will also be involved in arranging for new accommodations for their families and new schools for their children.”
They further observed with regret, that workers in the state had been on fractioned salaries since January 2016, stressing that they (workers) could therefore neither afford long distance travels to new work places nor new accommodation and schools for their families.
“There has been persistent numours about the above subject matter for some time now. Initially, the state organized Labour took it for one of those politically motivated rumours because we recalled that it was this administration that renovated the secretariat in a manner that the state workers will enjoy some comfort at work.”
In case there is an iota of truth in this rumour, the state organized labour will be unfriendly disposed to it, as it is not labour friendly and at the same time counterproductive.”
