SHOCKER! Imo Govt ‘Unaware’ Of Workers’ Strike

The Imo State Government said it is unaware of the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by workers of the state’s Oil Producing Development Commission (ISOPADEC).

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Declan Emelumba, who revealed this in a chat with THE WHISTLER said the state was unaware of any industrial action by some workers.

“I am not aware because I saw it as a report, I was not there personally, I read reports like every other person and we can’t rely on these reports,” he told this website when asked to react to the strike and the workers’ demands.

But ISOPADEC workers’ union led by Comrade Chinedu Awuzie, declared a strike since Monday to press home their demands from the state government. Comrade Awuzie told THE WHISTLER that the strike became necessary due to “accumulation of misdoings from the state government” which ranged from the commission not receiving their lawful 40% from the monthly 13% petroleum derivation fund, slashing of workers salaries by 80% and the “draconian automated system of salary payment from Imo state government.”

 He said: “Since this government of Imo state championed by Hope Uzodinma came into power, things started to go berserk. Well, the first problem is nonpayment of salaries.

“In as much as allocation, that is I am referring to the 13% oil derivation fund comes every month, this commission has no reason to owe its workers. It is on record that when ISOPADEC was established by an act of parliament, an agreement was reached between the state government of Imo state and the oil producing areas represented by ISOPADEC. That agreement is to fund, 60% of the 13% oil derivation fund was agreed to be conceded to Imo state and 40% to ISOPADEC for the oil producing areas.”

“So, the problem now is that the government is aggregating both the 60% and the 40%. But I want to refer to the government of Dr. Achike Udenwa when he was governor, that was when ISOPADEC was created. He was giving ISOPADEC 40% and the state took 60%.”

“When this incumbent government came on board, that was when problem started.

“From July 2020, they slashed our salaries by 80%. Somebody who was earning 100,000 naira as the entire emolument is now paid 20,000 naira or 15,000 naira. So, that brought untold hardship to the workers of ISOPADEC.”

But the commissioner disagreed with the claims of the ISOPADEC workers. Mr. Emelumba said : “What they are saying is not correct, they have an MD, if government took the 100% without giving them anything, how are projects being funded by the oil producing areas. These are fabrications and the question of slashing salaries are not true.

“We have talked about people who are earning more than what they should earn, some people who were seconded from ministries and they come there on a special salary. If that is what they are talking about then its an understanding from that angle. Nobody is owing them and what they are saying is simply not true.”

Comrade Awuzie accused the ISOPADEC Managing Director, Chief Charles Orie, and the Board of not fighting for the workers because they receive their own emoluments complete.

He said the workers’ union had made several attempts to iron out the issues with the government but they never received any attention, forcing them to embark on street protest in August 2020.

He said the workers were suffering from economic deprivation and hardship, and appealed to the state government to harken to their demands.

“We cannot bear the suffering any longer because if these matter crosses next week, more employees may die. What we are saying is that Our April/May salaries must be paid, that all slashed salaries must be refunded and that the name of ISOPADEC should be withdrawn from the draconian automated system of salary payment from Imo state government.”