OWERRI (Sundiata Post) – Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has appealed to the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to support the ‘Back to Land for Agriculture’ programme of the state government, saying it is aimed at boosting internally generated revenues.
Under the policy introduced recently by the state government, public servants have been directed to work from Mondays to Wednesdays and use Thursdays and Fridays to farm.
The appeal is coming on the heels of labour leaders’ directive that the workers in the state to ignore the policy.
Governor Okorocha urged the NLC leaders in the state to show understanding over the new policy.
“While appreciating whatever is the argument of the labour leaders for giving the counter directive, obviously without their looking objectively at the good intentions of the government for coming up with the policy, it is important to still appeal to the labour leaders to sit down and have a second look at the policy,” Okorocha said in a statement signed by Sam Onwuemeodo, Chief Press Secretary to the governor.
According to him, the policy was the decision of the State Executive Council which is the highest decision making body of the state government. What the governor did was to unveil the EXCO decision and the policy is in the overall interest of the state and her people.
“The workers were directed to come to work from Mondays to Wednesdays and use Thursdays and Fridays to farm except those on essential duties like the teachers, nurses, doctors, political appointees and IGR Personnel. The workers were not asked to go home to stay idle. And if they dutifully engage in farming, that will not only help their individual economies but will also boost the economy of the state.”
The governor had made it clear that the development would not in any way affect the salaries of the workers. Therefore, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the public servants in the state being told to use Thursdays and Fridays to farm considering the popular clamour across the nation for all to go back to Agriculture because of the dwindling allocation as a result of global drops in oil prices.
“The new policy is in the best interest of everybody. If the policy succeeds it would mark an enviable turning point in the economy of the state and in the welfare of the workers in the state. One does not think that any patriotic citizen of the state would oppose this lofty programme.
“What rules the world these days are ideas. And when a popular one is thrown up in the state we should not rise against it on the basis of long-established rules or ordinances that are neither here nor there.
“Once again, the Governor appeals to the leadership of NLC in the state to appreciate his good intentions in all he is doing for the people of the state and also show understanding over the new policy,” he said.
