Trade Union Congress, TUC, Imo State has warned that it will take every legitimate step including industrial action if necessary, to stop the state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha from meddling in the affairs of the state Board of Internal Revenue, BIR.
The congress, which issued this warning in Owerri, after an emergency meeting added that, the warning has become imperative in view of available information at its disposal regarding government’s plan to send staff of the board on compulsory leave, as a prelude to sacking them.
Chairman of TUC in the state, Comrade Paul Akalazu who briefed the press after the meeting disclosed that, the congress decided to take the position it has taken to halt government undue interference in the revenue board pointing out that, the government should be reminded that BIR just like every other government Ministry, Department or Agency MDA, is a legal creation which should not be illegally managed.
According to him, staff of the board were duly recruited and trained with government resources for effective performance which they have been rendering since this administration came on board and wondered why government is planning to lay them off at a time their services were needed to raise state’s IGR profile.
While condemning in totality the policy which he said is anti-workers and retrogressive, Comrade Akalazu called Gov.Okorocha to rescind such decision in the interest of industrial harmony and peace in the state as the congress was poised and ready to fight with every arsenal at its disposal to frustrate it.
He lamented untold hardship and suffering that retired members of the Congress in the state were passing through due to non-payment of pensions to them by the government, stressing that many of them have died as a result of this denial.
Comrade Akalazu who stressed TUC’s readiness to continue fighting with the NLC on labour issues in the state debunked insinuation that the national leadership of the Congress compromised during the last nationwide strike pointing out that, the congress decided to negotiate with government on three key issues of setting up a technical committee to work out a new national minimum wage, reconstitution of PPPRA board to monitor petrol sales and constitution of another committee to work out appropriate palliatives.
He said the Congress decided give government two weeks to actualize the conditions it tabled before it, failing which it would have no option than to resort to industrial action which he noted would be supported by Nigerians.
