Rivers NLC demands no allocation verdict’s reversal, threatens service withdrawal

The Nigeria Labour Congress in Rivers State has vowed to withdraw the services in the state if the Federal High Court judgement that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria from paying allocation to Rivers State affects the well-being of its members.

The Rivers State Council of NLC took this position during an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt on Thursday, attended by labour leaders.

The Chairman of NLC in the state, Alex Agwanwo, who addressed journalists after the meeting, said the council condemned the decision of the court stopping the state’s allocation.

Agwanwo said the council considered the decision of the court and found out that the judge who entered the judgement did not consider the interest of the entirety of the people of the state, describing it as anti-development.

The labour leader said the judgement lacked human face and empathy, adding that workers would be affected heavily.

He said, “Yesterday, there was a court judgement stopping the state allocation. As a state council, we have looked at the issues. We condemn that judgment.

“The judgement lacks a human face. The judgement lacks empathy. The judge did not take the citizens and workers of Rivers State into consideration before giving the judgment.

“Everybody knows that taking allocation away will put the state into suffering. It will disrupt governance in a state because governance will not take place without fund.”

He urged the court to reverse the judgement, noting that if the ruling affects the welfare of its members, NLC would have no option but to withdraw members from service.

Agwanwo said, “It will affect the workers in the state and at the local government levels. Even the private sector doing business in the state will also be affected.

“For us as a state council, we will not sit down and watch so we are calling on the judges that going forward they should put the masses into consideration.

“There is no politician in the state that does not have a sister or brother working in the state. If they seize the allocation, are you going to be paying them?”