Imo 10,000 job: Beneficiaries protest in Owerri

Posted by admin Headlines, Imo, State News Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

The beneficiaries of the 10,000 jobs offered by the immediate past governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim yesterday staged a peaceful protest on the major roads of Owerri, against the suspension of the programme by Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Okorocha in state-wide radio and television broadcast to the people of the state on Monday ordered the immediate suspension of the project.
He argued that the appointment of 10,000 workers into the state public service three weeks to the expiration of Ohakim’s administration was designed for cheap political gains which was unacceptable to his government.

The protesters numbering over 2000 stormed the front gate of the state assembly complex venue of the inauguration of the seventh legislative House, as early as 8a.m yesterday. Daily Sun reports that the demonstrators were carrying placards and chanting war songs before a combined team of soldiers and policemen intervened.

They later marched to the Maria Assumpta Cathedral along Owerri-Port Harcourt Road to lodge their complaints to the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Anthony Obinna. It was not clear at the time of filing this report whether the Archbishop granted them audience. Some of the inscriptions on their placards read, “Okorocha rescind your decision,” “the rescuer has destroyed us, restore our hope.”
The state Deputy governor, Sir Jude Agbaso who addressed the aggrieved youths at the Assembly front gate, appealed to them to remain calm as government has constituted a committee to review the entire exercise.
Agbaso who discarded the notion that government has scrapped the programme, assured that the committee would come up with an acceptable formula.

-Sunwp_posts