Governor Rochas Okorocha Wednesday night received a copy of the agreement reached with Organised Labour to end the disagreement which arose between them over the suspension of 3,000 workers of some state government parastatals and agencies.
Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said in a statement on Thursday that the agreement was a product of a Joint Committee made up of the leaders of organized Labour in the state, their national colleagues and state government representatives.
A copy of the agreement was handed over to the governor by the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba and the Chairman of the joint committee, Hon. Ikenna Emeh, at Government House, Owerri.
Receiving the agreement, Okorocha said: “My action suspending the workers of the parastatals and health outfits was of no personal benefit to me or my family, but to save the soul of the state and guarantee the future of Imo children yet unborn.”
On the issue of the 70% and 30% sharing formula for labour and government respectively, Governor Okorocha said, “I have accepted the formula. And I promise with the 30 percent given to me, I assure Imo people that I will make them happy with that. I am happy that the workers are satisfied with the 70% percent.
“No worker in the state will be punished for participating in the protest. The agreement will place the truth on a practical manner because people never believed it when I say what is being gotten from the Federation Account. I enjoin all governors to copy the Imo formula as it will help to understand every government better.”
The governor continued, “I have done all within my reach to please the workers of Imo and provide democracy dividends to the people of the state despite the difficult economic situation in the country. It is unfortunate that over the years, the fumes coming out of the exhaust pipe in Imo are only smokes of consumption and no smoke of production. That can never help to develop the state.”
Governor Okorocha said, “I share in the sentiment of the workers of doing the old things, the old way without any positive result. And if the state must be secured for future generation, then sacrifice is inevitable. For those wondering who has lost or won in the conflict, there is no winner. There is no loser. We are all winners in the struggle.
“I believe that the culture in Nigeria does not allow collective ownership of properties, people do better when there is individualism in the ownership of properties. That explains why the concessioned properties of the state government are doing well. I thank labour for doing me a great favour by this agreement.”
Comrade Wabba, before handing over the agreement to Governor Okorocha, expressed the appreciation of Labour for the constitution of the Joint Committee and the agreement reached, assuring that labour in the state will continue to work together with the government to improve on the lives of Imo people.
Comrade Wabba further remarked, “I thank the security agencies for doing a wonderful job in ensuring that there was no breakdown of law and order. And hoodlums did not take advantage of the situation to cause havoc. The workers will continue to give their best in the service of the nation.”
Wabba continued, “I enjoin the government to ensure that the agreement be given effect and implementation to avoid future recurrence of the problem. The agreement signed will be the end of the challenges that necessitated the Joint Committee.”
Part of the agreement reads thus, “Government will retain and run all its affairs with not more than 30% of the verified revenue for the month, while the committee will apply the balance of 70% in the settlement of salaries of public servants and pensioners. The understanding is with effect from January 2016.”
