Labour hits Okorocha into submission, recalls sacked workers

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has given in to pressure from the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, by recalling the 3000 workers of the state government that were sacked early January.

The decision to recall the sacked workers was reached on Wednesday after a meeting between State government officials and some leaders of the labour unions.

Workers had earlier in the day shut down the state capital, Owerri in protest against the action of the state government to sack the workers.

According to the agreement signed by the ‘Committee on Joint Government-Labour Negotiation in Imo State’, the immediate recall of all suspended workers of Imo State was recommended.

The agreement reads in part: “That the Government will retain and run all its  affairs with not more than 30% of the verified revenue for the month, while the committee will apply the balance of 70% in the settlement of salaries of public servants and pensioners.

Labour grounds Imo over sack of 3, 000 workers (Photos)

“Negotiations will continue with a view to fully accessing the wage bill of every Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) and to determine the funding modalities of parastatals within the agreed percentage sharing framework.

“That a comprehensive agreement will be reached by both parties”.

The committee also agreed that no public servant would be victimised in anyway as a result of the actions or in-actions leading up to the dispute and the resolutions

Okorocha’s Special Adviser on Technical Matters, Hon. Emeh Ikenna signed on behalf of the state government while the chairman of Imo State chapter of the NLC, Comrade Austin Chilakpu led other labour leaders to sign on behalf of the workers.

Earlier in the day, the NLC, led by its President, Ayuba Wabba, had converged on Owerri to protest against the sack.

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