Mr. Construction Projects Hits Akpabio, Organised Labour

By Akanimo Sampson

Mr. Construction Projects Hits Akpabio, Organised Labour By Akanimo Sampson

Wike

Nigeria’s Mr. Construction Projects, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, has taken Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Godswill Akpabio, to the cleaners, saying the minister lacks a moral high ground to accuse governors of the oil and gas region of mismanaging the 13 percent derivation fund.

He also lampooned the organised labour for its indifference to the  incessant increment in pump price of petroleum products, electricity tariff  and insecurity in the country.

According to Wike, labour in Nigeria is death because it has lost its force of engagement with government and hardly can achieve anything good for the generality of the workforce and Nigerians.

He was speaking during the inauguration of a new Trade Union Congress (TUC) Secretariat building, performed by its National President, Quadri Olaleye, on Friday in Ozuoba Town, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

The governor observed that the leadership of labour has left substance to pursue shadows and hardly can speak in a manner that can change or achieve reversal of the many anti-people policies being implemented by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government.

He stated that under former President Goodluck Jonathan, the leadership of labour mobilised Nigeria workers against some of his policies because he is from a minority ethnic group, but have lost their voice under a majority tribe president.

“It is unfortunate that labour has abandoned their role in this country. You are chasing things that are personal to you.  All over the world, when government is not going the right way, it is labour that comes out to say we cannot allow it. Majority of our people are civil servants and have others to cater for.  But since the inception of this government,  labour has died.

“Under former President Jonathan, labour was alive. They said the country must come down because he is from a minority area. But look at what is happening. There’s increase in fuel pump price, insecurity, and increase of electricity tariff. Where is labour? Where is TUC, where is NLC? The only thing I hear is minimum wage.

“Let the world hear it, labour has died. Nigerians cannot get anything substantive from you. Labour is like an opposition party. Labour does not work for any ruling government, no.  But now you people are working for ruling government, but under Jonathan, occupy Nigeria. And that is why we say there is so much injustice in this country.

‘’Because I come from a place, a minority area, you can treat me anyhow, but when you come from the other side nobody can touch you. That is not how this country should move forward. Be firm and take decision and know that was is wrong is wrong and let Nigerians have confidence in you.”

On the TUC building, Wike said his administration provided the secretariat to strengthen the independence of labour so that it can perform its duties effectively.

“Mr President, what we have done here is our own little contribution to make your people independent and work for the interest of the country, not for the interest of only minimum wage. This minimum wage will come when it will come.  No governor is anti-workers. I have brothers and sisters who are civil servants, so how will I be against them. But we must do things in ways that things are supposed to be done.”

He urged labour to always engage his administration concerning the larger issues that border on workers’ productivity and welfare beyond the demands for check-off dues.

While reacting to labour’s opposition against the National Assembly plan to remove the issue of minimum wage from the Exclusive list to the Concurrent list of the constitution, Governor Wike insisted that workers must realise that the financial capacity of the federating states differ.

“Let us face reality, if we are to operate true federalism, you cannot say that the man who is in Sokoto should earn the same thing with the man who is in Lagos, it is not possible. The house rent in Lagos is more expensive than house rent in Sokoto. You cannot say that the man in Logo should earn the same thing with the man who is in Rivers. So people should be very realistic.

“In America, somebody who works in California cannot earn the same with the person working in Chicago. No. You people say federal government should fix salary. How can federal government fix salary for me? He did not employ you. I employed you. I sit down with you, we negotiate, then you say federal government should fix what everybody will earn”.

Inaugurating the TUC secretariat, Olaleye applauded Wike for completing the project and not abandoning it after the groundbreaking ceremony, pointing out that the governor’s achievements has made him controversial that was why he was one of those who also castigated Governor Wike for his contributions to the judiciary but he understands it better now.

Providing a description of the secretariats, Special Adviser to the governor on Special Projects, Dax George-Kelly,  said the two storey building started two years ago and is completed.

“Today the dream is real. This project is seating on 1450 square meter of land. The secretariat has 16 offices, it has a 500 capacity auditorium inclusive of the gallery.

“It has a conference room. It has 14 toilets cut across all the floors. There’s 100kva generating set , 200kva transformer already hooked up to the national grid. All offices, conference rooms and auditorium are fully and tastefully furnished.”

Wike said it was disingenuous for Akpabio while Akwa Ibom State Governor acted as a demi-god, to accuse incumbent governors of financial recklessness just because they did not attend the inauguration of Niger Delta Development Commission ((NDDC) headquarters building in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

He hit at Akpabio during the inauguration of the TUC new secretariat, adding, “we knew when Akpabio was governor what he was doing. In fact, he saw himself as god then. Now, he has the temerity to insult South-South governors.

‘’We will meet one day.  If he did well, why did he fail his Senate re-election. If his people love him, why did he fail his Senate re-election bid, ordinary senate? And you will come and talk to us.”

Governor Wike is accusing the minister of sponsoring  militants to cast aspersion on Niger Delta state governors by demanding that they should account for N55billion they received. He wondered how the minister came about the said amount.

“You (Akpabio) went and started sponsoring so called militants that we should render account of N55billion. Where did we get the N55 billion? If we got N55billion then he got N200 trillion. You cannot insult people.”

While he explained that the inauguration of the NDDC headquarters building was planned without resort to the governors in the region to know if the date was suitable for them, Wike also said Akpabio lacks the morality to ask what the governors have done with the 13 percent derivation, when he got more money as a governor because Nigeria’s economy was better then.

“I have told him (Akpabio) to talk less. Now, he is talking on South-South governors, we will tell him that when he was governor, he was acting as a king. There was money as at that time. What was the exchange rate N150 to a dollar, today we are almost having N500 to a dollar.  Akpabio had money and he had the temerity to say ask South-South governors what they are doing with 13 percent of their money.”

Governor Wike said it was bad for people to rob their failure on others when it is known to many how inconsistent and sycophantic they are to be politically relevant.

“I am not a sycophant. I am not an inconsistent person. I don’t give a damn. He cannot say he has been seeing me in his villa. So, if he wants to talk, let him concentrate on his state, not to venture again and talk about Rivers State. If he does it again, he will regret meeting Rivers. People should say what they practice. I will show a video where Akpabio said the President should come and learn from me what I am doing here. I will show a video soon.”

The governor said the reason Akpabio defected to APC  was because he was afraid that the government might unleash the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after him.

“That is why Nigeria cannot move forward. Everybody is running away, because when they send EFCC, you run to the other party, then they protect you. That is the party, that is government that is fighting corruption. Akpabio is now moving round happy. He no longer takes his blood pressure medicine.”