The impasse between the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the Director General, Mr. Emmanuel Edafe Igbini Direct Labour Agency (DLA) is still unresolved.
Meanwhile, the embattled DG of DLA, Igbini is said to have relocated to the DLA asphalt plant in Agbarha-Otor, where he has allegedly forcefully taken over and now operates from.
Investigations revealed that Igbini, after having been chased out of the DLA headquarter in Asaba, which is still under lock and key, manourvered his way to the Agbarho-Otor office and gained entry into the premises with the aid of security personnel who intimidated the field officers.
But the state executive of the Union, AUPCTRE has vowed to chase him out of his current working base, just as they appealed to the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan to urgently step into the matter since the DG has refused to implement the state government‘s agenda as well as the demands of the worker and the Union.
“We have ordered our people to seal-up the Agbarha-Otor Asphalt plant where he is now in exile. And we do hope that the efforts of the SA to the Governor on Labour, Mike Okeme and other concerned members on Monday, April 15, 2013 will yield positive results.”, says the state chairman of AUPCTRE, Comrade Fidel Emeni.
Efforts by Blank NEWS Online to contact the DLA DG, Emmanuel Igbini proved abortive as he severally refused to pick his calls.
The state executive of the Union, AUPCTRE has however appealed to the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan to urgently step into the matter since the DG has refused to carry out the state government’s agenda as well as the demands of the worker and the Union.
In a telephone chat with Blank NEWS Online on Saturday April 13, 2013, the state chairman of AUPCTRE, Comrade Fidel Emeni disclosed that the Union has made series of representation through petitions to the state government on the illegal activities of the DG.
“We have written petitions to the government on this very matter. It did not just start today. Our positions have also been made known to the office of the Head of Service and other relevant government agencies including the SA to the Governor on Labour Relations about our grievances with the DG.
“The stalemate has been as a result of his heady nature and refusal to dialogue with the Union. He is not implementing the state government’s agenda and bluntly says he will not attend to the welfare of workers and he says he is a Comrade.”
In the same vein, Chairman of the DLA chapter of AUPCTRE, Comrade Ifeanyi Chukwurah in a statement made available to Blank NEWS Online accused the DLA Director General, Mr. Emmanuel Edafe Igbini of gross misappropriation of public funds.
“The N2 Billion given to Igbini was for road intervention with deadline on the 15th of December 2012.
“He inherited over N750,000,000 which he allegedly claimed to have used for the repairs of all DLA’s construction equipment but as at date some major roads in the state capital and others areas are still left unattended to by DLA.”
Efforts by Blank NEWS Online to get the DLA DG, Emmanuel Igbini’s response proved abortive as he did to pick his calls nor reply to a text message sent to his phone. The text message reads: “Good Day Sir, I’m Mr. Albert Ograka, Publisher Blank NEWS Online. I want to confirm certain information about your office and recent picketing by the Union. Pls endeavour to pick ur calls. Thanks in anticipation.”
Attempts to also reach the Special Assistant to the Governor on Labour Relations, Comrade Mike Okeme was unsuccessful. Okeme, a former state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is said to have been at a ceremony outside the state capital.
