The Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday warned the Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, to desist from victimizing workers in the state for demanding their legitimate rights.
The NLC, in a statement by its General Secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson, said it frowned at the state government’s use of the Nigeria Police Force to chase out workers from offices, especially, parastatals in order to concession them.
“In the course of this, we have been reliably informed, scores of workers have been arrested, brutalised and tear-gassed. We would want to condemn, in strong terms, these unwholesome tactics in pursuit of a dangerous agenda by the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. We will resist the use of the police to deal with an issue that is purely industrial,” he said.
Mr. Ozo-Eson urged the Inspector General of Police to intervene and immediately call the Imo State Police Commissioner to order to forestall a complete breakdown of law and order.
The Nigeria Labour Congress said it would mobilise its affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to Imo State to enforce the rights of its members if the brutalisation and forceful ejection of workers continue.
As part of the process of managing the situation created by Governor Okorocha, the NLC said it had written to him on October 9, 2015 proffering solutions to the crisis.
“We had also pointed out to him decisions and activities that were malicious, unlawful, glaringly anti-labour and a direct invitation to an industrial crisis,” the NLC scribe said. (Premium Times)
