LABOUR MINISTRY WADES INTO IMO GOVT, WORKERS' FEUD

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI - Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity has waded into festering face-off between organized labour and Imo State government by ordering the feuding parties to return to status quo ante on issues involved in the disagreement.

Already, a two-page resolution captioned 'Matters of urgent attention', signed by the concilliator, Mr. D. O. Ejeh, of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, had been delivered to Governor Rochas Okorocha.

While the concilliator ordered labour to jettison its planned indefinite industrial action, government was equally asked to halt any transfer or secondment of workers on Grade Level 1-6 to the controversial fourth-tier government.

Government was also asked to suspend the issuance of forms for such purpose and the vexed commercialization of the state public and civil service, pending the determination of the trade dispute.

All parties in the dispute were urged to suspend further announcements in the media on the issues in dispute, while government was advised to hold dialogue with the organized labour within the week, with a view to resolving the issues.

Vanguard gathered that the first concilliatory meeting was held last Tuesday and was attended by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Peace and Conflict Resolution, Head of Service, a representative of the Accountant-General, as well as the leadership of the organized labour in Imo State.