Strike: NLC leaders in Ebonyi succumbed to undue pressure by greedy politicians – Emegha insists

By Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Ebonyi State chapter, Stanley Okoro Emegha on Thursday said that the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in the state succumbed to undue pressure by greedy politicians and declared strike action.

Emegha, however emphasized that the aborted industrial action by workers in Ebonyi State “does not only reflect their weaknesses and ability to retrace their steps on the instruction of the leader of the state and governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, but also raised a significant concern bothering on who actually played the drum?. 

The APC chairman, Emegha who made this known in a statement signed and issued to newsmen in Abakaliki, said that the workers failed to appreciate 

the efforts of the governor,  towards increasing their take home ‘apart from other incentives remains unwarranted and odious’.

He queried the reason behind the strike embarked upon by the workers, adding that “I wish to ask them (workers) whether they were more comfortable with the era of executive rascality, impunity, and abandonment?

The statement reads in part: “To say that civil servants in Ebonyi State could contemplate embarking on strike just because some of their leaders succumbed to the undue pressure from greedy, malicious and uncircumcised politicians is difficult to comprehend because Governor Nwifuru has done exceptionally well in changing their narrative through several means. 

“Firstly, the Governor increased their salaries by 20%, awarded one hundred thousand Naira as Christmas bonus last year to each of them among other incentives. 

“He is the first person under the present democratic dispensation to increase workers take home, even before the negotiation of the new national minimum wage of N70,000. He did not only gave his consent to it but he increased it to N75,000.

“Apart from these interventions aimed at cushioning the effect of economic downturn in the country, the civil servants also benefit from numerous government empowerment programs. 

“it is heartwarming that they have come with the directive of the Governor and have since returned to their various duty posts which is a sign of gratitude to the numerous incentives they are enjoying presently in the state.

“They should not allow a few disgruntled politicians whose relevance have since died a natural death to hoodwink or manipulate them into carrying out their mischievous and spiteful plans against their wishes and the state government.

“Through words and actions, the Governor has reiterated that the civil service is the engine room of government and would not relent in charting a cause that will improve the wellbeing of the state workforce. This is also contained in his People’s Charter of Needs agenda, compass of the administration. 

The APC chairman, Emegha however “admonish workers to always employ dialogue in ironing out issues of interest rather than applying archaic and immature measures to frustrate the state government and make mockery of themselves under a system their welfare is in the first line charge. 

He also applauded the governor, Francis Nwifuru for always taking a firm and proactive posture in addressing headlong matters of importance to the state and her good people.