Rochas swears in SSG, tells IMSU lecturers to call off strike

The new SSG, Sir George Eche in hand shake with Governor Okorocha during his swearing-in ceremony at the Government House, Owerri today.

Governor Rochas Okorocha has sworn-in the new Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Sir George Eche.  Eche, a career Civil Servant, replaces Sir Jude Ejiogu who was dropped penultimate week by the governor.  

In his speech at the event, Governor Okorocha used the opportunity to call on the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Imo State University chapter to call off the strike embarked upon by the lecturers in the university, expressing shock that the lecturers would go on strike in the second week of March, over the month of February salary.

His words, “it is shocking that the ASUU in IMSU told lecturers to go on strike in the second week of March because of February salary when they had been paid full salary for the month of January.  This is shocking.  It is not acceptable to the state government.  ASUU in IMSU should call off the strike without delay because it is not justifiable.”

The governor continued “we shall continue to keep faith with the workers welfare.  If the workers in the state did not go on strike over two months’ salary owed to them, we would have continued to go out of our way to pay them full.  But they went on strike over two months salary and we then agreed with labour that they should take seventy per cent of the total income of the state to pay salaries and pensions, while the government takes only thirty per cent for capital expenditure. And now they have seen the truth of what we have been telling them about the finances of the state.”

According to the Governor, “As the allocation dropped further for the month of February, the labour body in the state may only be able to pay the workers fifty per cent of their salary.  The whole thing has been able to let Imolites and the world to understand what the state has kept faith in the past in payment of salaries and allowances until recently when the economic situation in the country has become challenging following the outrageous looting of the resources of the country in the past.”

His words, “the workers of Imo state should imbibe the spirit of sacrifice because of the prevailing economic situation at the moment.  They should show concern.  Imo people should also show understanding.  The state has the highest number of ghost workers.  The government has set aside N3.5billion for the Job creation which must be agro based.”

The governor expressed optimism that Sir Eche would leave up to expectation and also stated that his predecessor, Sir. Ejiogu, was never sacked out of dishonor, adding that he also put in his best, reminding him too that every political appointment must end one day.

The new SSG, Sir George Eche (4th from right), flanked by Governor Okorocha and other top government officials 

In his vote of thanks, Sir Eche promised that he would bring the needed change to the office of the Secretary to the State Government for better and expressed gratitude to the governor for finding him worthy for such position.