Workers of Imo Transport Company Nigeria Ltd. (ITC) were at their company’s terminal, MCC Road Owerri, Monday, March 17, 2014, staged what they called a peaceful protest over non-payment of staff’s salaries by the state government.

The protest which paralyzed the entire transport activities of the company and rendered commuters stranded indicated that the lingering face-off between ITC and State Government has not been resolved.

When THE LEADER visited the scene, Tuesday, March 18, the angry crowd were still on a blockade at the entrance gate of the company insisting with inscriptions on placards which read: Owelle Ndi Imo save our soul from Global Ginikana, My People! My People!! Owelle, are ITC not your people?, Global Ginikana should pay us!  That they would not resume business until their demands were met.

The Chairman of the union, Comrade Emeka Okoro who spoke on behalf of the aggrieved workers said they have not received their salaries since October 2013 and this was because the state government leased ITC to a private firm known as Ginikana Global Services Ltd.  This firm, he said, was conscripted to oversee the management of ITC, but unfortunately the firm is not living up to expectation due to lack of managerial acumen.

“The crisis rocking ITC started in 2011 when the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha handed the management of ITC to Ginikana Global Services.”  This sudden arrangement according to the Chairman brought the serene and peaceful nature that characterized ITC business into a hitch.

“As I am talking to you now we have not received our monthly salaries since October 2013 and our medical and leave allowances have not been paid for three years”.

Speaking further Comrade Okoro questioned the sincerity and competence of Emeka Duru, the Managing Director of Ginikana in the transportation business, saying that his failure in carrying ITC workers along has landed the whole company into a major problem.

“On the 13th of December 2013 the executive council of our union had a meeting with Emeka Duru and at the meeting we tabled so many issues including workers’ welfare  and how to upgrade the transport system to meet up with the demands of the contemporary society.  So at last we resolved with signed documents that the welfare package would be met with immediate effect.  Till today nothing has happened.  Mr. Duru sabotaged the whole agreement”.  Mr. Okoro said they were using the protest to draw the attention of the general public and that of the state government to their plight.

Commenting on how the imbroglio could be solved, he said the government should immediately direct the payment of their salaries without delay and the governor for the sake of peace should rescind his decision on Ginikana whose in-competency has shown on the poor management of ITC vehicles since 2011.

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