Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has appealed to workers to shelve their proposed five-day warning strike over non-payment of their salaries. Labour had last Friday issued a notice of the strike to the government.
However, the governor who returned to the state from Unites States of America on Saturday, appealed to the civil servants to respect the agreement over arrears.
“On my return from my trip abroad, on landing at Imo Airport, I learnt that ‘my workers are trying to embark on a warning strike, which came to me as a surprise. I appeal to workers, especially those concerned, to shun the idea of going on strike at a time when we are trying to rebuild the entire state for the good of our people and afterall, we have entered into an agreement with them.
“I want to appeal to them to respect that agreement and that government shall not be found wanting on the part of the deal,” he said.
Okorocha, who said he will be meeting with Labour on Wednesday this week to iron out the gray areas and make amends, noted that his administration had been friendly with workers in the past four years and would not change now.
“This government is workers-friendly and it os on note that for the past four years, there has not been any day we have not paid workers their salaries to the extent that we even paid bonuses to workers every Christmas and we pay them as at when due. It will be a bit out of place if workers cannot show understanding.
“The economic difficulties which the entire nation is going through and I personally promise that all the outstanding salaries will be paid as per our agreement. So, I appeal to all our workers to consider and remember the past four years which we kept faith with their salaries and to make sure that things are done properly.
“So, I appeal to all workers to resist it. Local governments should collect their salaries and continue with their work and not embark on this proposed strike, which would have adverse effect on the economic life of our people and the entire state,” he said.
