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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
A socio -political group in Imo State , known as the Imo Patriots League (IPL) has expressed deep concern over the continued industrial action imposed on the people of Imo State by the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),Joe Ajaero following his purported attack and arrest by the police recently.
Convener of the group,Jones Onwuasoanya while briefing newsmen on Thursday disclosed that the blackout in the State as a result of the strike has cost the State a total of N500 billion.
According to him,the State mostly known for its tourism industries has resorted to using of fuels to run its hotels .
“In the last seven days, Imo State has lost over 500 billion Naira due to Comrade Joe Ajaero’s imposed blackout on Imo people.
” Small scale business owners are rapidly going out of business due to high cost of running their businesses, hotel owners are being stifled, students are left desperate in search of sources of illumination to study their books, civil servants have had their basic budgets strained because they are not able to preserve their food.
” Everyone and every sector in Imo State is adversely affected by the ongoing Ajaero imposed blackout on our dear State. And we ask; Is the Labour Union now against or for the people?
He described the strike action by Ajaero in the State as a personal vendeta which he noted does not augur well but plunging the State to serious economic hardship.
He accused the NLC President of coniving with the opposition parties to frustrate the efforts of the present government.
He said “The NLC President has not hidden his partisanship, especially as it concerns the upcoming governorship election in Imo State, but we would have expected that he employs democratic methods in campaigning for his candidate instead of abusing his office and exploiting the powers of the labour force to harass and intimidate ordinary Imolites as a way of blackmailing the government of the State.
“Apparently, the ongoing industrial action is unpopular with a large majority of the Imo workforce who have clearly defied Ajaero’s call for strike action. Across different ministries, schools and agencies, workers are reporting to their workplaces and people are going about their businesses, because they do not see any genuine reason to go on a protest against the State government.
“Except for the punishing power outage executed at the whims of Joe Ajaero by his acolytes at the Transmission Company of Nigeria, there is not a single sign that NLC’s order for a total shutdown of the State is being adhered to. This is a clear evidence that Ajaero is on his own”. Onwuasoanya alleged.
He also added “The fundamental responsibility of a labour union and by effect, a Labour leader is to fight for the improved welfare of the masses. Unfortunately, under the Joe Ajaero led NLC, we are seeing a different side of labour unionism which prioritises individual and clique political interests and aspirations ahead of the people’s interest”.
