Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has vowed to sack any worker who fails to report to his duty post within the next 72 hours.
He stated this in Abakaliki, capital of the state, at a media parley with Journalists.
He also vowed to pay workers by the number of days they worked noting that he has directed heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to open attendance register to document the workers duty attendance.
He was reacting to the one week strike embarked upon by the Organised Labour in the state which crippled activities in government offices.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had in a letter to the Governor announced that they were embarking on the strike action.
They accused the governor of unilaterally carrying out a wage award to the workers instead of minimum wage without recourse to the Labour.
They described as unacceptable the decision which they said is not standard practice in Labour-Government relations.
They argued that when a minimum wage is pronounced, it goes through the rigorours process of consequential adjustments that will translate into an agreement which would be signed by both the government and the organised labour.
They also noted tha the increment is nothing to write home about and will not assuage the economic needs of the workers.
But the governor, in a reaction expressed dismay that the letter which he was yet to read leaked online on Monday morning.
He said that not only will he not pay the striking workers but will also sack anyone who doesn’t report to work in the next 72 hours.
“If you didn’t go to work. Not only that I will not pay you salary. But I will replace you within 72 hours in your office if I didn’t see you in your office.
“As far as I am not guilty, I am not owing you and I am paying you what is supposed to be paid. And according to agreement and constitution Iam not owing you. If you didn’t go to work within 72 hours I will replace you.
“I have called the chairman civil service commission. I have directed all the commissioners to go to their offices. All the agencies, all the departments of government must be in their office and record the people that come to work.
“And that is the people I will pay through table payment. By the number of days you attend to your duty in your office. If you don’t want to come to work. You will forget about state government,” he said.
The governor argued that the law stipulated that the least paid worker must receive a minimum wage of N70,000.
He noted that the state government is not paying anyone below the stimulated amount and has gone ahead to carryout increameant for other grades of workers.
He regretted that Labour Leaders in the state are not telling the workers the truth about the situation but instead got them to embark on a strike despite all the welfare packages he has implement to better their conditions.
Meanwhile, workers in the state adhered to the strike called by labour leaders as most government MDAs had very low turnout.
The Ochudo Secretariat and the old Government House Abakaliki all looked like a ghost town when our Correspondent visited as most workers did not turn up for work.
NLC Chairman in the state, Ogugua Egwu, said the strike recorded 90 percent compliance despite the late release of the circular on Sunday evening.
