SSG Must Go: CROSIEC, Few Other MDA’s Violate Labor Strike Action

By Grace Odok

A few agencies and commissions in Cross River State have for two days running, violated the industrial action directive issued by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) CrossRiverWatch findings reveal.

Labor had on Friday last week, by 12 noon, commenced an indefinite strike action to protest the non forwarding of the resolutions of the last meeting between labor and government to the Civil Service Commission to effect promotions among other things.

The premises of ministries, departments, agencies, boards and commissions across the state were under lock and key excluding a few agencies who on Monday and Tuesday violated the directive from labor.

The agencies include the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEV), Cross River State Properties Investment Limited (CROSPIL) and Cross River State Signage and Advertisement Agency (CRISSAA) all located along Bishop Moynagh Avenue in state housing estate Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

Also, the Cross River State Community and Social Development Agency (CRCSDA), the Commercial Taxi Regulatory Agency (CTRA), popularly referred to as; “100 Marian,” the Cross River State Tourism Bureau (CRSTB), General Hospitals across the state and the two tertiary institutions owned and operated by government; CRUTECH and College of Health Technology, Calabar were all open.

The Cross River State House of Assembly, Governor’s office and the High Court complex were partially opened with several offices under lock.

Labor’s grievances are accrued to the neglect and doctoring of their 13 point agreement with the state government and other concerned agencies CrossRiverWatch gathered.

“We now know that government’s action not to implement the 13-point agreement is deliberate and it is illegal, government action to doctor the agreement is illegal,” a labor bulletin read.

CrossRiverWatch had earlier reported that the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Barrister Tina Agbor had doctored the agreement reached between the State and organized labor on their rights of promotion and refused to convey to the civil service commission and other relevant bodies for implementation.

“This is a total breach of government/organized labor agreement, labor therefore rejects this in its entirety,” the bulletin read and pointed out the assurances of Cross River Governor, Benedict Ayade that whosoever stands between the implementation of the government/labor agreement this time, shall be held responsible and called for action to ensure that “SSG must go.”