I Am Not Perturbed By NLC’s Strike Threat – David Umahi

David Umahi of Ebonyi on Wednesday said that he was not perturbed by the industrial action threat by workers in the state, especially such from staff of the state-owned higher institutions.

Umahi disclosed this during a meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), its affiliate unions and managements of the state-owned tertiary institutions over the disbursement of the second tranche of N7.6billion-Paris Club refund to the state.

The governor remarked that the threat did not bother him as it was the legitimate right of the workers to make agitations but advised that it should be done peacefully.

“The state-owned institutions for instance, are autonomous and instead of embarking on strike, I feel that the workers should instead dialogue with their managements to find solutions to their problems.

“The government does not inquire how the institutions manage their funds because it has problems managing its own funds and spends 10 per cent of its gross earnings on the institutions.

“The institutions are at liberty to recruit or reduce their staff but the government’s own duty is to offer subventions in which the state ranks the highest in the country.

“In a situation where you embark on strike, we will transfer the students to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo and use the augmentation due to you to pay their fees,” he said.