NULGE knocks Governor Emmanuel’s moves to destabilize labour in Akwa Ibom

The national secretariat of the National union of local government employees, NULGE says the decision by the state government to transfer the service of the sitting state president of the union from the local government service to the state civil service without his consent was a clear move to destabilize the union in the state.

Addressing journalists in Uyo after its zonal emergency meeting held at the NULGE House, the national president of the union, Ibrahim Kahlel condemned the state government action, saying the action was, “alien to civil service in Akwa Ibom state”.

The national president who said he was in the state to guide the leadership and membership of the union on critical issues affecting the interest and welfare of workers at the grassroots observed that the action of the state government , “ lacks merit, the issue is precisely on the transfer of service of a sitting state president of NULGE from local government service to the state service without his consent, going by the civil service rules, you can’t transfer, nobody can transfer your service from one service to another without your consent, you must initiate it willingly by writing to government that you want to transfer from a particular service to another, be it local government to state , to federal, or state to federal service”.

He viewed the decision as a case of victimization and injustice against the state president of the union for fighting for the interest of workers at the local government level.

“The president of the union was transferred from local government service to state service just to destabilize him so to say maybe, because he’s more for the interest of the local government workers in the state than, the state bidding”, he said, ‘it’s basically to dislodge him maybe, because government is not comfortable with his leadership style, because he is more in the defense of the interest of the workers at the grassroots level”.

He mentioned that the action of the state government was against the extant labour laws, the 1999 constitution and the international labour organisation, ILO convention.

‘ Our position is very clear that the state government decided to transfer his service from local government service to state service even though it lacks merit, is against the extant laws of trade union movement.  It is against civil service rules. The action of government contradicts the provisions of the Labout Act of Nigeria; it is against convention 87 and 88 of the ILO which provides for non encroachment of any employer in the union business”.

The national president of NULGE, added that, “we find that the leader in question has no case. He has nothing as far as civil service issues are concern” and “we finally resolve and re- affirmed that we still recognised him as the leader of the union in the state, he is the state president of NULGE and every other officer from state to local branches. We’ll definitely continue to work with him and give him the necessary support to operate as the leader. That’s our position”.

According to findings, the embattled state president of NULGE, Comrade Martin Effiong who has been in the forefront of agitating for the interest of his members has in recent times been suffering series of intimidation, threats, and harassment, from the state government.