Labour accuses Imo govt of ruling with impunity
By Bimbola Oyesola
Monday, May 14 , 2012
Organised Labour has accused the Imo State Government of disregard for due process and governance by impunity. General Secretary of Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), Comrsde Philip Agbonkonkon, said the government disposition on some important issues showed clear disregard to democracy and rule of law.
“The disposition of the present administration in Imo State, in our opinion, is unorthodox as it borders on the “lord of the manor system” while claiming to be democratic, people-oriented and based on separation of power,” he said.
AUPCTRE said it had been keeping track with governance in the country (federal and states), partly because of its entire membership are public sector workers and fundamentally because disposition of governance, i.e. its pre-occupation and policy options directly impact on the well being or otherwise of the citizenry.
It noted that the unilateral decision of the executives on important issues in the state showed clear disrespect for the welfare of the workers and the citizens. According to the union, the action of the state government in the lease of Imo Transport – a commonwealth property of Imo citizens to a company – Global Ginikana Services Limited, ownership of which is family-based and cannot be de-linked from interests associated with governance in Imo State, was nothing but an act against the rule of law.
Other infringements listed by the union included: “Concessioning of the Imo State Water Corporation for 20 years to West African Utilities Metering System and Services Company Limited and creation of 4th tier of government in the state designated as “Community Governing Council”.
The union added that in pursuit of the unconstitutional outfit, the governor had ordered all public service employees in the state to return to their respective communities and be registered for the take off of the 4th tier of government.
“Also as from April 2012, all ministries should be deemed as rendering commercial services irrespective of their statutory functions and to fend for themselves. By this, the concept of appropriation and budgeting by the state House of Assembly was undermined.”
Comrade Agbonkonkon insisted that the above issues raised, among others, were strange to democratic norms, respect for due process, constitutionality and public interest in virtually all cases and were in furtherance of self-interest.
The General Secretary stressed that the concern of the union for positive governance in the country also derived in its involvement in the democratic struggles of the 1990s and the sacrifices made, which culminated in the military disengagement from governance in 1999 and the emergence of the present civilian administrations.
He lamented that the state executives in all of the above ‘unorthodox’ developments, neither consulted nor reckoned with the elected representatives of the people of Imo State, i.e. State House of Assembly, the Judiciary and strategic stakeholders like Council of Ndi-Eze, trade unions, political parties, civil society organisations, etc.
