…Urge IGP to unseal Rivers LG councils
By: Felix Ikpotor
Following the recurring attacks and call for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State by political gladiators and groups in the state, former leaders of labour unions in the state have come out to rally support for the governor.
The former labour leaders at a press briefing in Port Harcourt under the aegis of Former Labour Leaders Forum, Rivers State said they are worried about the actions and utterances of persons who do not mean well for the state.
Comrade Achese Igwe, who is the Chairman of the Forum, called for a retreat by all gladiators and those still undermining the peaceful disposition of Governor Fubara
He said: “The Forum is deeply concerned about the current state of affairs in Rivers State, especially warring comments by some political actors who do not mean well for the smooth administration of the Governor of Rivers state, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
“As former Labour Leaders
who have dedicated their years of service advocating for the rights and welfare of workers in Rivers state and Nigeria, we are compelled to address the current political situation of things in Rivers State and to make strong call for immediate retreat by those who are still undermining the current peaceful disposition of the Governor of River State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara”.
While stating their commitment and support to the governor, Igwe who is a former President of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, said the governor should be allowed to deliver good governance to people of the state.
“We remain committed in supporting the efforts of His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State towards improving the lives of Rivers people via his on-going socio – economic, human and infrastructural development programmes in the state.
“To achieve all these, the present administration should be allowed to govern the good people of Rivers State without incessant political upheavals and distractions.
“We make bold to say that we are not comfortable with the utterances of one man who enjoyed a peaceful reign in Rivers State for eight (8) years. Enough is enough of your incessant distraction to the present administration in the state.
“Rivers people need peace. No one has the monopoly of the smooth administration of Rivers State,” he said.
The former labour leaders also condemned the call by a factional chairman of the Nigerian Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Rivers State chapter, Comrade Nwisabari Bani for the impeachment of the governor.
“The Forum condemned in its totality the recent call by an embattled faction of the National Youth Council of Nigeria in Rivers State led by one Nwisabari Bani on the defunct Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor of Rivers State and call on him to immediately retract such statement as it was above his person and capacity,” Igwe stated.
Igwe, also used the medium to call for the reopening of the 23 Council headquarters in Rivers State to allow civil servants to go in and discharge their duties, urging serving labour leaders to collaborate and address the situation.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately vacate his men from all the 23 local government councils in Rivers state to allow civil servants to return back to work.
“We call on the President of the NLC, TUC and the NEC of both labour centres to prevail on this ugly situation and collaborate with both NLC and TUC leadership in the state in this struggle. We make this call because of the loss of revenue accruing to these local government councils and the deprivation of the rights of the workers in the affected LGAs of serving their people,” the forum chairman stated.
On the planned LGA elections, the group called on all political parties to support the governor in ensuring that the election holds.
Meanwhile, the former labour leaders have appealed to the Nigerian government to allow labour unions in the country to freely associate and carryout their activities.
Igwe, while speaking at the briefing said the appeal is necessitated by the current attacks on labour leaders in the country.
“In the same vein, we are calling on the Nigerian state to allow the organised labour movement, especially their representatives operate within the provisions of the extant laws of the land without unnecessary interference from the state security operatives as this undermines their fundamental rights of association and freedom of expression as enshrined in our constitution,” he stated.
