27th May, 2013
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Rivers State branch, Monday commenced two days warning strike to protest the closure of Obio-Akpor Local Government Council by the police in defiance of a court order thereby making it impossible for the staff to be paid their two months salaries.
Dr. Chris Oruge, the NLC Chairman and Chika Onuegbu of TUC said the two day warning strike in the state was in solidarity with their colleagues in the sealed local lovernment but not in support of the two factions of PDP in the state.
The labour leaders had said in a statement that they were more concerned about workers who have been denied their salaries because the Chairman, Timothy Nsirim, was suspended by the Rivers State House of Assembly for alleged financial impropriety and appointed Chikodi Dike, as Caretaker Committee Chairman.
None of the two chairmen were allowed into the secretariat by the police who claimed that they were there to protect life and property. Both of the chairmen are in court.
The state government secretariat was shut Monday in compliance with the warning strike, while the Federal Secretariat witnessed skeletal services.
—Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt