In a recent announcement, Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), has instructed NLC members to stage a protest at the Imo State Government House. Ajaero made this declaration during a press briefing at the Labour House in Abuja, where he criticized Hope Uzodimma, the Governor of Imo State, for neglecting the welfare of workers and violating agreements.
The NLC president accused Governor Uzodimma of neglecting worker welfare and pointed out the tragic consequences, including the loss of lives among state workers due to the governor’s hostile actions and non-payment of salaries. The conflict between the Imo state government and the NLC concerning the treatment of workers has been ongoing.
Ajaero expressed his dismay at the state government’s failure to adhere to the federal minimum wage and accused Uzodimma of reneging on agreements, especially the one reached on January 9, 2021. He highlighted the misclassification of 11,000 workers as ghost workers, the erroneous labeling of 10,000 pensioners as ghost workers leading to 22 months of unpaid pensions, and the non-payment of salary arrears spanning approximately 20 months.
Speaking further, the NLC president emphasized that the absence of social dialogue and collective bargaining in resolving these disputes led to the decision to protest at the state government offices. The NLC president’s call to action reflects the growing frustration among Nigerian workers and their demand for fair treatment and respect for agreements.