Government Of Imo State
Press Release
Governor Rochas Okorocha has accused the state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by Comrade Austin Chilakpu of not only lying against him and his administration, but also deceived the National Officers of the Congress over workers related issues in the state and concluded that the Austin Chilakpu led NLC in the state was on blackmail trip.
The Governor spoke when the National Leaders of the NLC led by its President Comrade Ayuba Wahab and other National Officers of the Congress met with him at the Government House, and said it was shocking that the Imo NLC could lie over the payment of workers salaries in the state, and also lied about the claimed threat to his life for which he had earlier admitted that he lied on that.
Hear the Governor, “aside being adults, some of us who hold certain positions no matter at what level should strive to live above board. When adults tell petty lies it becomes a problem especially when such people are leading workers. It was unfortunate that Chilakpu could lie that we are owing workers including the statesman workers when he knows we spent N12.5billion in December to clear all arrears even to the extent of paying ghost workers”.
“Workers should be partners in progress and not partners in lies, blackmail and propagander. We are aware that some of them have become tools in the hands of opponents of the government. I have worked with labour for many years because I have never been a man of the big people, but that of the workers, keke operators, artisans, markets people, and so on”.
“The Current Labour Leadership in the state is not friendly, it is obviously partisan and I have tried to find out their reason for doing all these, I have not been able to find out. Outside Adapalm Workers no worker in the state is owed. The teachers in the state are the best. The Local Government workers are paid as at when due. No worker in the state is owed any salary aside Adapalm workers over certain disturbing issues in the place. When workers become partisan, it becomes disturbing. So, what Chilakpu told you people could best be described as fabricated fallacies different from the realities on ground. I have seen the highest level of ingratitude. Enough of the backmail. We can not continue this way”.
The NLC National President Comrade Wahab had told the governor that they were in the state to find out the truth of all they were told by the state leadership of NLC.
Sam Onwuemeodo
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
