OWERRI (Sundiata Post) – Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has commended majority of the state’s public servants for boycotting the protest organised by labour against the “Back to Land for Agriculture” policy in the state. The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said the boycott gave credence to the popularity of the government’s Back to Land for Agriculture policy and also as a tacit vote of no confidence in the labour leadership that called them out to protest against the popular policy. The Nigeria Labour Congress in the state had organised protest against the “Back to Land for Agriculture” policy of the State Government. But, according to the governor’s aide, it was was marked by a poor turnout by the public servant as less that 2000 workers joined out of over 50,000 workers. The labour leaders had taken to protest as their last resort after seeing that the workers had refused to obey their counter directive to the government’s policy that public servants in the state except those on essential duties should work in the offices from Mondays to Wednesdays, and work in the farms on Thursdays and Fridays. “The fact is that if the workers had listened to the labour leaders they would not have also organised the protest that was heavily boycotted. They had decided to go on the protest when they saw that majority of the workers had bought into the Back to Land for Agriculture policy of the government. “Having seen that the planned protest was going to fail, the labour leaders also could not muster the courage to write their names and append their signatures on all the documents they issued out during the poorly attended protest. If the labour leaders were convinced on the propriety of what they had engaged in and also sure of the popularity of their action, they would have signed the documents they issued out at the event. “The labour leaders’ know the truth. They know that asking the workers to work in their offices from Monday to Wednesday and go to farm from Thursday to Fridaywas in their own interest and that of the state especially when their salaries would continued to be paid and equally their leave and annual allowances. “Also, the labour leaders’ claim of forced labour is neither here nor there especially when the policy is borne out of the governor’s genuine interest in the welfare of the workers and the government had earlier said that it would never apply force in the implementation of the policy, with the belief that workers would see the wisdom in the whole exercise and key in, which they have done in earnest”. He said the government reiterates its readiness to ensure that the workers who have embraced the policy would have reasons to thank God for doing so.
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