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By Our Reporter
Nigerians may experience another fuel scarcity as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has put its members on alert for a nationwide strike after labour leaders were attacked and brutalized in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
NUPENG President Prince Williams Akporeha condemned the attack in a statement on Wednesday, calling it an “act of violence and barbarism” that “cannot be accepted in a democracy.”
NATIONAL WAVES reports that the NLC President was attacked on Tuesday as labour leaders were preparing to begin a protest over unpaid salaries and allowances.
According to reports, suspected agents of the Imo state government descended on the protesters, smashing vehicles and stealing valuables.
NUPENG condemned the brutalisation of the NLC leaders and threatened to embark on strike.
Recall that Ajaero and other leaders of NLC and their Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, among others including some journalists were attacked and brutalized by suspected agents of the state at the NLC secretariat in Owerri.
The labour leaders were at the State Secretariat in Owerri to begin the planned protest ahead of the strike on Thursday over a backlog of unpaid salaries and allowances among other perceived sins of the Imo State government against workers in the State.
Among alleged sins of the Imo State government include refusal to implement previous agreements, outstanding salary arrears, unjust declaration of workers as ghost workers, destruction of NLC state secretariat, implementation of discriminatory pay and unpaid gratuity arrears.
Others are non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage, intimidation and harassment of trade union leaders, use of violence and thuggery, misappropriation of union dues, declaration of pensioners as ghosts, systematic harassment and intimidation of the workforce, resistance to social dialogue and collective bargaining, interference with workers’ democratic processes.
