Days after
all government offices in Imo state were shut down over non-payment of
workers’ salaries, Governor Rochas Okorocha has issued a directive to
all striking workers.
Speaking yesterday to some youths who paid him a solidarity visit at the Government House in Owerri, Governor Okorocha ordered all striking civil servants to resume work immediately or risk being instantly sacked.
Governor Okorocha described the current strike as “illegal and would not be tolerated next time.”
According to him, the strike is politically motivated and principally aimed at rubbishing the good reputation of his administration.
He wondered why civil servants should embark on strike “because of just months of unpaid salaries” owed by his administration, considering the economic meltdown facing the country.
The governor was irked that civil servants chose to go on strike despite no other state going on strike over non-payment of salaries.
Okorocha said: “I do not know of any other state whose workers went on strike as a result of unpaid salaries. Imo workers treated me unjustly by embarking on the current industrial action.”
Explaining why he took the decision to sack the striking workers if they fail to resume, the Governor said a lot of youths in the state are in need of employment.
However, labour leaders in the state have advised civil servants to ignore the threat issued by the governor, stressing that labour may completely shut down the state if government fail to pay their unpaid salaries.
The governor’s threat comes 48 hours after all government offices in Imo state were shut down, following the industrial action ordered by the leadership of the labour unions operating within the state.
Speaking yesterday to some youths who paid him a solidarity visit at the Government House in Owerri, Governor Okorocha ordered all striking civil servants to resume work immediately or risk being instantly sacked.
Governor Okorocha described the current strike as “illegal and would not be tolerated next time.”
According to him, the strike is politically motivated and principally aimed at rubbishing the good reputation of his administration.
He wondered why civil servants should embark on strike “because of just months of unpaid salaries” owed by his administration, considering the economic meltdown facing the country.
The governor was irked that civil servants chose to go on strike despite no other state going on strike over non-payment of salaries.
Okorocha said: “I do not know of any other state whose workers went on strike as a result of unpaid salaries. Imo workers treated me unjustly by embarking on the current industrial action.”
Explaining why he took the decision to sack the striking workers if they fail to resume, the Governor said a lot of youths in the state are in need of employment.
However, labour leaders in the state have advised civil servants to ignore the threat issued by the governor, stressing that labour may completely shut down the state if government fail to pay their unpaid salaries.
The governor’s threat comes 48 hours after all government offices in Imo state were shut down, following the industrial action ordered by the leadership of the labour unions operating within the state.
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NEWS UPDATE