While civil servants across the country were jubilating the early payment of their April salary, workers in Imo state are angry with the Governor Rochas Okorocha administration for not paying their salaries before the Easter celebration, and may consequently embark on strike.
The local government workers are among those who have expressed their anger over the non-payment of salary.
The state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Austin Chilakpu, who spoke on the situation, also told The Guardian that some retirees alleged that they were being owed more than 54 months arrears of pensions.
The workers had in the first week of this month issued a seven-day
ultimatum to Governor Rochas Okorocha to pay their salaries and
pensions, wondering why they had not received their pay after
allocations from the Federal Government had been received by the state.
Last week, medical doctors in the employment of the state government,
and under the aegis of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), embarked
on a two-week strike to press for payment of the their salaries from
January till date and provision of access road to the Imo State
University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), Orlu, among others.
The state chairman of NMA, Dr. Kyrian Duruewuru, said if the
government did not do the needful at the expiration of the ultimatum,
the association would compel doctors in the federal medical institutions
and private hospitals to join the strike.
The organized labour in Imo State, comprising the NLC, the Trade
Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council
(JPSNC), signed the letter that conveyed the ultimatum to the governor.
The letter read in part: “It is pertinent to point out that no state
government in the North can deny its workers their salaries during
Salah.”
“It is, therefore, expected that no state in this part of the country
should deny its workers their salaries during such all- important
celebrations as Easter.
“We cannot guarantee any industrial peace if the government fails to
do the needful. Labour leaders in Imo State should not be held
responsible for any outbreak of industrial unrest. Government should use
the seven days given to her to pay the workers and pensioners.”
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