RSG Tackles Bonny Labour Crisis …As Amaechi Receives Protesting Utility Workers

The Rivers State Government has assured members of the National Union of Electricity Employees, Rivers and Bayelsa States council that it will look into the alleged incessant intimidation of workers by the management of Bonny Utility Company.

The State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi gave the assurance Tuesday while addressing protesting members of the National Union of Electricity Employees at Government House, Port Harcourt.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Mr Oguru Fortune Oguru the governor said the present administration would get in touch with the relevant authorities with a view to resolving any existing problem in the establishment.

He thanked members of the union who were on demonstration for bringing the issue to light, assuring that as a labour friendly administration, the Rivers State Government will do its best to settle the matter amicably.

The union had in its position paper read by the Secretary, Comrade M. N. Mbari, alleged that the Bonny Utility Company had enslaved its workers through casualization over the years, refusing them to form a union, thereby breaching the labour law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It said they decided to carry out the protest after exhausting every peaceful means of negotiation, and appealed to the state government to prevail on the company to correct the alleged injustice meted out to the workers.

Similarly, the National Union of Ikwerre Students, University of Port Harcourt chapter and the Iwhuruoha UNIPORT Assembly yesterday embarked on a joint peaceful demonstration to Government House, Port Harcourt to protest the non-appointment of an Ikwerre indigene as Vice Chancellor of the university since its inception in 1975.