Nonsochukwu Uwa, Owerri
The leadership of the Imo State Council of Elders, on Tuesday appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to suspend its ongoing strike since the previous Thursday, and open for dialogue between the NLC and the state government.
The chairman of the council, the Obi of Obinugwu, HRM, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, made this call in a statement to newsmen in Owerri.
The elders were of the view that the NLC should consider the residents of Imo State, who are now passing through severe pains due to the public power outage for the past five days.
According to the Imo elders, “After a careful appraisal of the impasse between the national leadership labor-related Labour Congress (NLC) and Government of Imo State, over labor-related issues, and in consideration of the need to ensure that the prevalent industrial peace and harmony in the State is not disrupted, the leadership of the Imo State Council of Elders, hereby appeals to the leadership of the NLC to suspend its dispute with the State Government.
“The Council under the Chairmanship of the Obi of Obinugwu, HRM, Eze (Dr) Cletus Ilomuanya, assures the NLC leadership that the suspension of the dispute would create a conducive atmosphere for meaningful dialogue with the government which would ultimately address their grievance es. The Council appealing to the conscience of the NLC leadership urges it to take into consideration, the plight of the suffering masses who are bearing the excruciating brunt of the impasse.”
“As Elders, the Council is optimistic that as a responsible, and responsive government, the Imo State Government on its part, would be open to any meaningful dialogue and resolution of the labour crisis in the state in the interest of the masses.
“The Council, therefore, implores the NLC to embrace Jaw- jaw rather than war-war, as there is no better alternative to industrial peace and harmony in the mo State,” the elders said.
