By Newsmata
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Edo State Council, said on Monday that there was no iota of truth in the claims by its national body that the Edo State Government forcefully broke into and ransacked the Edo State Labour House. It described the allegation as false, misleading, and baseless.
Refuting the allegation in a statement on Monday jointly signed by the acting state chairman and secretary, Comrades Bernard Jorman Egwekhide, and Kingsley Ireotoi respectively, the local NLC stated that the allegation was intended to tarnish the image of the state government and sow unnecessary discord between it and the labour unions.
The council clarified that at no point were police officers used to force entry into the Labour House. Instead, the police officers seen in a video shared by former chairman, Comrade Odion Olaye, were stationed at the premises upon the request of the Congress leadership to safeguard the building and its properties.
The statement emphasised the longstanding cordial relationship between the Edo State Government and the various labour unions, including the NLC. It highlighted recent engagements, such as a meeting between the state government and labour representatives aimed at addressing irregularities in the minimum wage (administrative wage) implemented by the previous administration.
The state NLC insisted that “Furthermore, the Edo State Government has never engaged in any acts of vandalism or intimidation against labour unions or their properties. We believe such allegations are intended to tarnish the image of the state government and sow unnecessary discord between the government and the labour unions”.
The Edo NLC urged the national secretariat to mandate Odion Olaye to provide evidence to substantiate his claims, stressing the need to avoid unfounded accusations that could strain the positive relationship between the state government and the labour community.