Welfare: NLC assures workers in Imo

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has assured the workers in Imo that it would not relent in its struggle for their welfare including the 20 months salary arrears owed by the state government.

Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President said this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.

It would be recalled that the NLC had declared a protest in Imo, led by Ajaero on Nov.1 over alleged anti-workers policies by the state government .

It would also be recalled that Ajaero was allegedly attacked by security agents and hoodlums in the state.

Ajaero said not even his death would stop the struggle for the 20 months non payment of salaries for workers in the state.

According to him,“ not even my death could have stopped the struggle for the payment of those workers salaries.

“If I had died in the process, the people that would take over, would be more daring.

“Any of the deputies here that would take over, would have been more decisive.

“So nobody is backing out, it is a question of allowing justice to prevail and the people you are owing you pay them,”he said.

Ajaero while narrating his ordeals noted that workers who earlier gathered for the protest at the NLC Secretariat in Owerri were beaten and all their phones taken away.

According to him, I arrived there by 9 a.m with about 20 security personnel and was about to address journalists on the situation of things.

“Before, I could even address the journalists, police and other people in mufti came in and withdrew all the security there.

“They arrested me and handed me over to thugs who dragged me on the ground, hit me with all manner of things and tied my eyes. There were about seven of them.

“They started asking me why I was challenging Gov. Hope Uzodimma and that I should say my last prayers and that they were going to throw me into Njaba River.

“From there, I did not know how the same people to police headquarters. But I thank God that I am alive today,”he said.

He also noted that Uzodimma had also accused him of playing local politics.

The NLC president said that he not a card carrying member of any political party in Nigeria.

“I do not have any family members or whatever running for election but they are free to run if they are interested.

“If I want to run for any office tomorrow I will pick the form of any party.

“As a governor he should be privileged to some classified information to say which political party I belong to,” he said.

Speaking, Mr Emma Ugboaja, NLC General Secretary, reiterated call for an indefinite nationwide from Nov. 13, midnight to compel the Federal Government to do the needful.

“We will not accept the torture, humiliation, brutalisation of a citizen, a citizen that has global status.

“So, from Tuesday, Nov 14, the Nigerian workers will be withdrawing their services.

“Because if the president of NLC and his team were used as the point of contact, hundreds of workers have also been brutalized.

“He is just the figurehead of what transpired.

“As we speak nothing has been done. So, we cannot continue like this as a nation,” he said.

On medical treatment abroad, he said NLC was against medical tourism.