May Day: Rivers NLC Seeks Probe Into Workers’ Taxes

The Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for investigation of the claims that Rivers workers paid the highest taxes in the country.
The State Chairman of the Congress, Chief Chris Oruge, who said this during the 2014 Labour Day celebration in Port Harcourt, said that, if investigated and found to be true, the state government should take action to alleviate the sufferings of the workers.
Oruge described the theme for the celebration, which is “Building Enduring Peace And Unity: Panacea for sustainable National Development,” as apt in view of the present state of the nation, stressing that NLC condemned, in its entirety,  the recent Nyanya bombing in Abuja as well as the abduction of over 200 schools girls, in Chibok, Borno State.
The Labour leader, however, commended the governor for his level of patriotism in pledging to give scholarship to some of the girls rescued.
The NLC Chairman also lauded Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s developmental strides in the state.
According to the union, “despite calculated attempts to distract your administration, you have remained focused”.
The congress urged the Governor to continue to remain focused with a view to leaving his foot-print on the sands of time.
Oruge also called for the release of the 2013 teachers’ promotion exercise in the state while also calling for the payment of hazard, examination/supervision allowances to members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU).
The Labour Chairman used the occasion to remind the governor of the promise made to the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) since 2010 to build a befitting Secretariat for labour, and requested for new buses for the industrial unions as the ones given them seven years ago were getting unserviceable.