Amaechi Accuses Labour Of Creating Unemployment

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has turned the heat on the labour unions in the state as the main cause of unemployment because of their unending demands on the revenue of the state that have made it impossible for government to employ new hands into the state civil service.

Governor Amaechi spoke during the 2012 workers’ day celebration in Rivers State held at the Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt, southsouth Nigeria, on Tuesday.

“Labour is helping to create unemployment. The way labour is helping to create unemployment is by the unnecessary demands labour is making on our revenue; every day labour is demanding one form of payment or another, the more money labour collects, the more government will be unable to employ anybody,” Amaechi said.

He added: “So Labour must stop making further demands so that we can develop other areas and create employment opportunities for the rest of those who are unemployed.

“Organised Labour must look inwards and work with government to create employment for the teeming unemployed people on the streets.”

He said he is doing his best but Labour needs to collaborate with state government to create employment in state, adding that the way to help government achieve more is not to make more demands on government revenue so that government could use those funds to also create employment for more people.

He thanked the leadership of both the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress in the state and expressed his government’s willingness to continue to work with both labour unions.

Amaechi also commended the leadership of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) but urged it to properly supervise its members.

Speaking earlier on the theme, ‘Right to Work, Food and Education: Panacea to Insecurity’ for this year’s workers’ day celebration, the Rivers State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Chris Oruge, said while there is poverty and other economic challenges in the country, it is the duty of government at all levels to tackle these challenges to prevent anti-democratic forces to exploit them to foment trouble and unrest in various parts of the country.

“It is therefore imperative that government must tackle the provision of decent work, food and education as an immediate and fundamental challenge. The creation of decent jobs must form the cornerstone of the efforts to combat poverty,” he said.

He commended Governor Amaechi for building model primary and secondary schools in the state and for other specific achievements in other sectors since Amaechi became governor.

Also speaking on the theme of this year’s workers’ day celebration, Chairman of the Rivers state council of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Chika Onuegbu, said it was partly the sacrifice and other key contributions by labour that enthroned democracy in Nigeria.

He urged governments at all levels to combat poverty and corruption and address all social justice issues.

Onuegbu also commended Governor Amaechi for his achievements and urged him to do even more.

—Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt