Bailout fund: We’ve been vindicated by arrest of Okorocha`s aides – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday  said  that the arrest of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s top aides by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly diverting part of the N2 billion bailout funds meant for Imo State have confirmed its earlier stance  that the governor had misappropriated  the bailout fund. NLC president, Comrade Ayuba […]

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday  said  that the arrest of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s top aides by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly diverting part of the N2 billion bailout funds meant for Imo State have confirmed its earlier stance  that the governor had misappropriated  the bailout fund.
NLC president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said that the arrest did not come as a surprise to the NLC. He said that the governor rather than apply the funds to cushion the hardship that many months of unpaid salary arrears had caused workers, chose to summarily shut down government establishments and force workers out with backlog of salary arrears.
Wabba said: “We were not fooled by the governor’s claim of lack of funds to pay salaries as he clearly could not show where he had channeled the bailout funds. Thus, our shutting down Imo State over two weeks ago through mass protests and strike action by workers has been vindicated.”
The NLC president called on ICPC and EFCC to monitor the disbursement of the bailout funds across the states. He  challenged the state governments to, in the spirit of the president’s gesture, publish how they have disbursed the funds.
He vowed that the congress will not fold its hands and allow workers be sacrificed for acts of theft perpetrated by state governors and government agencies.