2016 WORKERS’ DAY: OKOROCHA SEEKS WORKERS’ COOPERATION FOR A BETTER IMO

Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has called on workers to remain strong and patient with the government as it works towards improving their welfare He spoke in Owerri through the Secretary to the State Government, Sir George Eche, during the 2016 Workers Day celebration held in Owerri on Sunday May 1st 2016.

He described the workers as partners in progress towards building a better Imo State and appealed to them to show understanding and willingness to be helpful in the face current economic challenges. The SSG explained that the governor is workers` friendly and noted that Imo workers have received good welfare package from the present regime in the state as he was the first to pay twenty thousand naira above the N18. 000 minimum wage bench mark and N10.000 Christmas bonus when the oil price was stable. He said the issue of suspension of some workers in the parastatals has been put to rest following the 70-30 percent agreement between the governor and labour leaders in the state, adding that the welfare of workers will soon improve as the oil price increases in the next few months. Adding his voice, Mr Nnamdi Nwaeke who represented the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, urged government and labour to always toe the path of peace in their negotiations and commended the good rapport between NLC, TUC and the State government. In a joint address presented by Comrade Paul Akalazu, the State Chairman Trade Union Congress (TUC), he said that the 2016 May Day coincided with the collapse of the national economy arising from the fall of oil prices and high rate of the dollar.

Akalazu said the theme of this year celebration is `the working class and the quest for economic survival’, adding that the present economic situation in the country should work as a wake-up call to the regime in power.

He recalled the issues that led to 70-and 30 percent sharing formula between the labour leaders and the government and passionately appealed to the state governor to address the problem of Imo Palm workers and pensioners in the state,