By Favour Afunanya
The ongoing industrial action embarked by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC in Imo State has been described as ill-conceived and one done against the general interest and well-being of the residents and citizens.
Interacting with newsmen in Owerri on Friday, Hon. Johnpaul Ochemba, a renowned business man and philanthropist in the state said the strike action action has done more harm than good to the people whose interests NLC wanted to protect.
He stated that the prolonged power outage occasioned by the strike action has paralysed economic activities in the state as well as subjected the citizens to severe sufferings and untold hardship.
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According to him, "putting off electricity for almost two weeks now, knowing fully well electricity is one of the basic necessity of life for the people, I think for every intent and purpose, the interest of the people are not considered.
"Today in Imo, everything is on standstill. Businesses have collapsed. Social life of the people is also affected. The people including the civil servants are suffering. Nobody is left out.
"So one may want to ask why will the strike embarked for the interest of the people, now subjecting the same people to untold hardship and sufferings.
"If I were Mr. Joe Ajaero, and NLC, I will reconsider my stance in the overall interest of the people. I will explore other means to dialogue with the government or whoever that is concerned with workers welfare."
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Also, a group known as Imo Patriots' League also appealed to stakeholders to prevail on Ajaero to rescind the decision in the overall interest of peace and general good of the people.
Comrade Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, Convener of the group in a press conference held in Owerri said, "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?
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"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."
"Gentlemen of the press, we plead with you, to use your good and very influential pens and cameras to bring the attention of the world to the ongoing travesty of labour principles as exemplified by the actions of Comrade Joe Ajaero, and prevail on him and the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and all their affiliate unions to reconsider this ill-conceived industrial action, which is steadily eroding the integrity and popularity of the NLC.
"The Federal Government, civil society organisations and the international community are put on notice, to hold Comrade Joe Ajaero responsible should this election be derailed in any form, and we invite relevant stakeholders to join in prevailing on Comrade Joe Ajaero to keep his personal interests aside and put Imo and the people's interest ahead and allow peace to reign." he added.
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