Ahead of tomorrows annual May Day celebration in Owerri, the Imo State Capital, discordant tunes and mutual suspicion have taken over the organized labour unions as the leaders and various affiliate unions are at daggers-drawn.
The source of the altercations is the planned honour award to the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha by the Nigeria Labour Union, NLC, as part of this year’s May Day celebration.
Trumpeta learnt that while modalities and arrangements were being detailed for a successful Workers’ Day celebration, the NLC Chairman in the state Dr Anyadike reportedly came up with the idea of giving award to the Gov Okorocha.
Even as majority of the NLC officials were opposed to the proposed award, the NLC Chairman went ahead to set up the committee charged with the responsibility of giving the award to the State Governor.
Apparently not disposed to the proposed award, the members of the committee, especially the Award Committee Chairman, Comrade Coleman Okwara of the Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, pull out with his members.
Reasons for the pull out has not been made public but it was however gathered that the JNC accused the NLC Chairman of alleged “sale-out” adding that the State Chief Executive does not deserve the honour if his relationship with the state workers is anything to by.
According to officials of JNC, Governor Okorocha does not deserve an award from Imo State Labour Unions as his anti-labour postures and acts are unknown in the history of the state.
Apart from his quasi-commercial policy and arbitrary sale of government agency and parasatals without caring for welfare of workers, the JNC observed that not less than 22 government parasatals and agencies have been denied funding and monthly subvention for over four months by the Okorocha administration.
The labour group while disparaging Anyadike for not protecting workers’ interest in the state, noticed that several Imo workers are in penury and starving due to government’s insensitivity to their plight.
Meetings called to fine-tune the award by the labour unions ended on sour notes as the warning groups rejected the proposal by the NLC Chairman.
