Alleged Anti Labour Conduct: Akporeha Lambasts Okeme *         Seeks Okowa’s Intervention To Avoid Crisis In Delta NLC *       Lauds Governor on Stakeholders’ Forum, Urges Direct Labour/Govt. Relations

Tejiri Ebikeme

FACTIONAL Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Delta State Council, Comrade Williams Akporeha has lambasted the immediate past Special Assistant on Labour Matters to former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Comrade Mike Okeme for his alleged anti-labour conduct, seeking for the urgent intervention of the State Governor, Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa.

Meanwhile, the NLC boss has commended Governor Okowa for the recent Stakeholders’ Forum with a call for direct labour/government relations.

Comrade Akporeha took Comrade Okeme to the cleaners, accusing him of mischief.

Governor Okowa recently appointed Comrade Okeme as a Special Adviser.

In a letter to the Governor and made available to National Reformer Newspaper, Comrade Akporeha wrote thus, “The Delta State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), under my leadership (Comrade Williams Akporeha) is contrained to bring to your notice the mischievous activities of Mr. Mike Okeme to malign the overall interest of labour movement in Delta state in favour of David Ofoyeno’s group. Your Excellency, it is true that the leadership of the NLC at the national level is in two factions following the inappropriate conduct of the national delegates’ congress which has also affected the state congresses. However, it is very absurd that while concerted efforts are being made to restore a united NLC at the national level, Mike Okeme, in his desperation has continued to deepen the crisis in Delta state by his unrelenting divisive and barefaced malicious sectionalism in favour of the David Ofoyeno group for his personal gains at the detriment of hoisting industrial unrest in the state.”

He added in his letter entitled; “Comrade Mike Okeme’s Anti Labour Conduct In Delta State; “That Your Excellency, it is very astonishing to note that logistics support provided by the state government to facilitate the 2015 May Day activities and to facilitate state NLC Leadership attendance of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention in Geneva, Switzerland were all confiscated by Mike Okeme and shared to the David Ofoyeno’s group thereby depriving labour and other affiliate industrial unions in Delta state under my leadership from benefitting even though I was the one that formally applied. We view his current activities as a dangerous trend and abuse of office that is capable of degenerating into practical expression of disaffection by majority of the NLC affiliate unions in the state over continuous deprivation being suffered as a result of the unrestrained behavior of Mike Okeme even when he is aware that David Ofoyeno does not clearly represent the interest of all workers in the state.”

“Your Excellency, we want to make it very clear that this notification is made in good faith as our contribution to enable government call Mike Okeme to order and stop him from rocking the boat of labour movement in Delta state so as not to strain the existing cordial relationship between labour and government in the state.

Clearly, activities of Comrade Mike Okeme with regards to Congress in Delta state can rightly be described as malicious as we know that a man who has served as state Chairman of NLC should be in the league of veterans looking for amicable solution to the NLC impasse or at best remain neutral if he lacks patriotism at that level. Regrettably, it appears Okeme is an old fox in this trade of mindless fractionalization tactics to secure grandstanding on activities of labour movement in the state just to massage his ego and unimpressive personal interest,” he stated.

He recalled that, “In 2012, Okeme confiscated ten Hiace buses donated by government for the Labour Mass Transit Scheme in the state immediately after the anti fuel subsidy protests in 2011 as part of palliatives to assist workers in the state. Sadly, Mike Okeme who insisted that he was going to hand over the buses to labour for the purposes they were meant never did so. He converted all of them to his office use, inscribing on them, “Office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Labour Matters”. He did not however hand any of the buses over to labour and my leadership till today. In 2014, Mike Okeme also confiscated funds released by the state government to facilitate Labour Leader’s attendance of the 2014 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention in Geneva, Switzerland.”

According to him; “Apart from the above, he had continued to sponsor confusion against Leadership of Congress to instigate fractionalization of labour movement in the state. In fact, in August 2014, the State Executive Council of the NLC declared Mike Okeme persona non grata due to his unwholesome activities against Congress and the state government was duly informed not to interface with Mike Okeme on labour matters as Congress no longer recognize him as representing the interest of labour movement in the state. The position of Congress on Mike Okeme remains unchanged till date.”

“We therefore strongly appeal for your intervention to call Mike Okeme to order and make him to immediately release all funds collected from government on behalf of labour to my group. We trust and appreciate your earliest action on our appeal before more damage is visited on labour movement in Delta State. Do accept the assurances of our highest regards and esteem,” he added.

Meanwhile, Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has been commended for convening a Stakeholders’ Forum to acquaint him with current issues affecting the state workforce with a view to finding sustainable solution to gain mutual benefit for government and workers in the state.

The Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Delta State Council Comrade Williams Akporeha made this commendation at the end of a one day stakeholders forum held in Asaba recently for Labour Leaders in the state by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Comrade Akporeha stated that the forum afforded the governor and other stakeholders the opportunity to deliberate on very key issues like prompt payment of workers’ salaries and other labour related matters that will build confidence between government and workers in the state.

“I want to truly commend His Excellency Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for his clear initiative for putting labour issues on the priority list. It really afforded us an opportunity to bring some of the key issues such as payment of workers’ salaries as at when due and others that requires his prompt attention”.

The labour Leader reiterates Congress readiness to cooperate and partner with the state government for progress, industrial harmony and development of the state. “Congress certainly looks forward to a continuation of this type of direct interface between government and labour for a clearer understanding of issues as they affect the different affiliate industrial unions of the NLC in the state.”

While stressing the need for Congress preference for a direct relationship between government and labour, Comrade Akporeha noted that it will make it easier for government to handle specific issues as they relate to the different industrial unions since they all have union chairmen in the state.

“From our experience, it is easier for His Excellency to handle issues directly with a particular industrial union chairman in a forum like this rather than through government Special Adviser or Assistant”, adding that, “The experiment of having Special Adviser on Labour introduced by the immediate past government has so far failed to achieve the intended objective and have continued to make resolution of industrial issues more complex due to misrepresentations at some point”.

Comrade Akporeha pledged Congress unalloyed cooperation with the administration of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to maintain the existing industrial harmony in the state but however regretted that “appointment of Special Adviser on Labour Matters has not helped government/labour relations in the state. The state labour leader therefore strongly advocated for a direct government relationship with labour leaders on issues concerning their specific sector.”