The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, over the weekend, blamed striking lecturers of the Imo State University, Owerri, for the two month old industrial action in the state.

The governor also accused the striking workers of sabotaging the state’s free education policy. He made this known in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo.

It would be recalled that the university staff had gone on strike following the inability of the state government to pay them what they had agreed earlier.

However, the state government, while appealing on the workers to resume work, insisted that the state university has a structure that will ensure generation of revenue internally.

“It has become increasingly necessary to let the good people of the state and indeed, the general public know, that despite repeated appeals by the governor, those against the free education programme in the state, have ensured that the patriotic appeals are not given the expected consideration.”

The governor further averred that the his government has increased the monthly subvention in the state. “It is equally on record that before now the monthly subvention to the varsity was N57, which the governor increased to N297 million.”