Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested the Cross River State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ben Ukpebi.
It was gathered that the NLC Chairman was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday following the strike embarked upon by the union and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the state.
GIOTV reports that civil servants in the state commenced total industrial action and blocked all government offices in Calabar and other major towns following directives of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.
However, the Special Adviser to Governor Benedict Ayade on labour matters, Effiong Ita Umoh, while reacting to the industrial action embarked upon by the civil servants, said that the leadership of NLC had no right to block government offices and would be held responsible for any damage government properties would suffer as a result of their actions.
He added that government offices were not only occupied by labour union members but political appointees and other officials should have right to access their offices
He said, “Whereas NLC/TUC have the right to embark on strike as stipulated by industrial laws, yet they don’t have the right to seal up government offices where there are political appointees and other officials.
“What they have done is debarring non-members of labour unions access to their work. They will pay for any damages if anything happens.
“They never gave us time to meet with them even when they notified us late. They insisted on meeting Gov Ayade in person to press their demands even when the governor has designated aides in charge of all issues.
“We have met all their demands except gratuities. We are not even owing salaries. We have implemented promotions..”, he stated.Meanwhile, the General Secretary of NLC, Chief Ita Ayi, said in spite of the arrest of their chairman, the strike must be sustained.