Uzodinma accuses Ajaero of blackmailing his government in Imo

The Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, on Thursday accused the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, of blackmailing his government.

Uzodinma, who stated this in a chat with State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said his administration accorded priority attention to workers’ welfare and well-being.

The governor added that he never delayed the payment of workers’ salaries since he assumed office in 2020.

The organized labour staged a rally in Imo State on Wednesday to protest the poor treatment of workers by the state government.

Ajaero was reportedly picked up by heavily armed police officers from the congress’s office in Owerri and kept in custody the same day.

Uzodinma said: “I don’t interfere with labour matters, but I have convinced Imo workers to believe in me, and that trust is what opposition parties are trying to fight.

“But I can assure you that Imo people already have taken that decision.

“November 11 is by the corner. Come and observe the election.

“I came in January 2020 and by March, I started paying the N30,000 minimum wage that has been lying there, which the previous administration didn’t pay.

READ ALSO: NLC President, Ajaero, reportedly arrested in Imo

“By December, I paid 13th month; the first time in the history of Imo Civil Service and I have maintained continuously this 13th month as an incentive.”

The governor also said that his administration automated the payment systems and that salaries are now received in an automated manner in the state for the first time.

“I brought innovations. I reformed the civil service.

“No wonder the civil service, the entire NLC, Imo chapter, endorsed me.

“I am the only candidate they are supporting in the election.

“The Nigerian Union of Pensioners also endorsed me.

“From 2007 to 2020, no civil servant in Imo received gratuity.

“It is only my government that now floated bonds to pay outstanding gratuities to retired civil servants.

“I want people to be very careful because there is an attempt to mix up partisan politics or to blackmail my government.

“But I can tell you that my people are already aware.

“That was why the Imo NLC addressed a world press conference that what their national leadership is doing is not correct and that they are not going to embark on any strikes or protests.

“And in the process, they decided to dissolve them to put in a caretaker.

“Of course, I’m the Chief Security Officer and I have a responsibility to intervene.

“I encourage the national leadership not to dissolve a management team that its tenure has not expired, and that was what they did.”

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