Outrage As DSS Quizzes Cross River NLC Chairman

The Cross River State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ben Ukpebi, has been reportedly arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Ezenwoko’s Blog reports that the General Secretary of NLC, Chief Ita Ayi, made this known while speaking to reporters in Calabar on Tuesday.

Ayi, however, condemned the arrest of the union’s leader in the state, saying that the tactics of the state government to intimidate its members will not work.

The union scribe added the strike must be sustained despite Ukpebi’s arrest on Monday night.

He disclosed that civil servants in the state have already embarked on strike and blocked all government offices in Calabar and other major towns.

Reacting to the strike, the state government has condemned the industrial action embarked upon the workers, describing it as uncalled for.

In an interview, the Special Adviser to Governor Benedict Ayade on labour matters, Effiong Ita Umoh, said the NLC leadership had no right to go on strike and block government offices.

Umoh added that the government would labour leaders responsible for any damage government properties suffer as a result of their actions.

According to him, government offices were not only occupied by labour union members but political appointees and other officials should have the right to access their offices.

Umoh said the government have met all their demands except gratuities, adding that the workers are not being owed salaries.