Wike considers amnesty for repentant cultists, others

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that the state was working out amnesty for criminals and cultists who lay down their arms and embrace peace.

Wike made this remark on Thursday while speaking with the National Administrative Council of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers led by its President, Mr. Igwe Achese at the Government House, Port Harcourt.

 The governor assured that the state government was working with relevant security agencies to ensure that Rivers State remained safe for investors, adding that strategies had been put in place to root out criminals from the state.

 This is just as the governor urged labour unions to use strike as the last option in trade disputes to stem the tide of development challenges witnessed as a result of the frequent industrial actions.

 Wike also declared that the state government would collaborate with NUPENG as it developed a Tankers Village at Eleme with a view to taking tankers off the highways and generating revenue.

 The governor expressed the belief that workers should be allowed to unionise so that companies and organisations would be encouraged to always consider their welfare.

 A statement signed by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, read, “I believe that strikes should serve as a last option for unions during trade disputes. The strikes in Nigeria are getting too many and efforts should be targeted at reducing them.”

 Wike commended the leaders of NUPENG for calling off their strike following his intervention, noting that the state government had already called on oil companies to reciprocate by recalling the sacked workers.

 The governor urged unions to always work towards the development of money-spinning ventures in order to reduce their dependence on check-off dues for survival.

Expressing happiness that NUPENG was developing a tankers village/tank farm in Rivers State, Wike directed the State Commissioner for Energy and the Special Adviser on Lands to work with the union to bring the project to fruition and ensure the release of the certificate of occupancy for the project site.

- Punch