Port Harcourt, Nigeria – March 25, 2025: Rivers State organised Labour don threaten to take strong action if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu no reverse the state of emergency wey e declare for di state. Di union dey complain say di action don severely affect di people of di state, especially di non-payment of salaries for Local Government Council workers.
Di statement, wey dem issue on Tuesday, get signature from di state chairman of di Nigeria Labour Congress, Alex Agwanwor, di chairman of di Trade Union Congress, Ikechukwu Onyefuru, and di state chairman of di Joint Negotiating Council, Chuku Emecheta.
Dem talk say, “Di Rivers State Organised Labour dey express deep concern over di state of emergency declaration wey President Bola Tinubu make on March 18, 2025, and wey wey goan state as follow;
“We strongly condemn di premature and baseless emergency declaration wey don suspend di Executive Governor, Deputy Governor, and di members of di House of Assembly wey di people of Rivers comot dem.”
Dem also point out how di state of emergency don affect di local government workers, who dey suffer as dem never collect salary, and as a result, dem dey face economic hardship. Di union mention say di state dey important for Nigeria economy and di Niger Delta region.
“Di state of emergency fit negatively impact di economy as di nation dey struggle with high inflation, naira devaluation, rising unemployment, and di high cost of living,” di statement continue.
“Dis emergency matter don put di state for bad position as investors wey don show interest for di ‘New Rivers Vision’ don withdraw from planned investments, wey go spoil di internal revenue wey di state dey generate.”
Di union dey urge di President, di National Assembly, and di Judiciary to quickly reverse di state of emergency and di suspension of elected officials to restore normalcy for di state.
“Di federal government dey advised to engage in genuine dialogue to avoid further problems for Rivers State,” dem stress. “If we no see results within a reasonable timeframe, we go forced to take strategic union actions wey fit disrupt national economic activities.”
Dem further stress say, while dem support di need to maintain law and order, actions like emergency declarations and di suspension of elected officials must align with di Nigerian Constitution and protect workers from wage invalidity and non-payment of salaries.
Dem call on di government to prioritize di safety and welfare of citizens over political interests. Di union urge all workers make dem stay calm and continue their duties while dem dey wait for a positive response for di issues wey dem raise.
