These are not the best of times for staffers of the Imo Water Corporation, IWC, who have resorted to hunger strike to express their displeasure over the decision of the state government to cater for their welfare.
According to the union leaders of the troubled government agency “we have no option than to embark on hunger strike over Gov Okorocha’s indifference attitude to our plight despite several complaints and notifications”.
In a save our souls (SOS) letter made available to Trumpeta, the affected Labour Unions disclosed “that up till this time, the staff of the corporation are owed 3 months salaries, arrears of 7 months minimum wage and other allowances” adding that “this Imo citizens who are workers of the corporation and their families are undergoing devastating hardship to the extent that one of the staff lost her child due to inability to pay for medical bills”
The statement signed by Comrade Ike Joseph, Comrade Iwu Pius and Comrade Nwigwe Uche, the workers noted with dismay that the water corporation is operating with water facilities purchased by late Sam Mbakwe administration more than 30 years ago noting that these facilities are due for replacement.
While stating that the existing pipeline networks were damaged due to massive road constructions going on in the state, the workers in the SOS message states, “it is disheartening that the Imo State Water Corporation is the only state parastatal that is not receiving subvention.
The previous administrations were either given subventions to the corporation or paying water rate for MDAs to the corporation to staff salaries and sustain their services to the citizens of the state but this administration stopped all these payments.
The IWC further expressed that “it should be proper for Imo state to be in line with other states in provision of portable water to its citizenry as no government anywhere in the world hands off the responsibilities of providing portable water to her citizens.
It would be recalled that since the present administration came into power, IWC has witnessed turbulent times. The first firm that reached agreement with Imo state government to run the affairs of the corporation for 20 years (names withheld) abandoned the deal two weeks after coming to take over the management. Recently, the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha threatened to sack the IWC workers if they do not measure up to expectations in the course of discharging their duties.
