Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State

Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji has described as sheer civil disservice and insubordination to the will of the people, the threatened strike by both the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) even after the governors had agreed to paying the N18,000 minimum wage.

Orji in a statement by his Special Adviser on Public Communication, Mr. Ben Onyechere said the governors despite the genuine reasons for their initial positions have shifted grounds and agreed to terms with labour. This, he said has nullified any ground for strike.

He said politics is about conflict and resolution, adding that dialogue should be seen more as an instrument of strength and not a sign of weakness, hence the governors’ decision to pay the minimum wage as requested by labour even when it is not convenient for the states going by their statistical pretexts.

“The determination by NLC and the TUC to embark on warning strike even after governors’ forum and the Federal Government have made overtures and declared that the N18,000 minimum wage will be paid amounts to civil disservice and insubordination.

“In this circumstance the labour union should prove that there's no ulterior motive behind the staged activity by heeding to the peace move initiated by the government of the day rather than result to arm-twisting which is not in the interest of anybody. They must bear in mind that the nation is going through hard times in terms of insecurity in which case any strike action would be counter-productive.

“If we must tell ourselves the truth, there's nowhere in the world where increment of wages has come easy, moreover the government of President Goodluck Jonathan has shown probity and responsibility to Labour-related issues since assumption of office, particularly the expedient manner in which he signed the Labour Wage Bill.