BY ABIODUN NEJO
Workers in Ekiti State, on Sunday, said they were beginning to lose hope about the possibility of Governor Ayodele Fayose being able to defray the backlog of salaries, pension and gratuities owed them before he leaves office.
The workers, under the aegis of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ekiti State Chapter, said it had become clearer by the day that the government was not committed to the payment as earlier promised with the way things are going.
Consequently, labour, in its resolution at the NLC State Executive Council meeting in Ado Ekiti at the weekend, declared that the workers would no longer tolerate payment of one salary per month from Governor Fayose.
Point blank, the NLC told Fayose to be prepared to pay two months salaries and pension per month till the expiration of his tenure in October. Failure to comply, the NLC said its leadership may not be able to guarantee industrial harmony in the state.
These decisions were made available to newsmen, on Sunday, through a statement signed by the NLC State Chairman, Comrade Ade Adesanmi, in Ado Ekiti, the capital.
Adesanmi said labour union was finding it extremely difficult to
convince the workers that the present government would adhere strictly to its promise to pay up before the Governor–elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi, takes over on October 16, 2018.
The union demanded that the government should look for an alternative way to offset outstanding salaries, pension and gratuities before the situation gets out of hands by paying at least two salaries per month commencing from July.
Adesanmi pleaded with stakeholders not to read any political moves to this action, assuring that workers in the state remain apolitical and would not shy away from ensuring that the welfare of members are given priority attention.
The statement reads in part: “Ekiti State Government appears not to be ready to fulfill its pledge of defraying the longstanding gratuity, pension, salaries and deductions for workers before the end of the tenure of the present government.
“That the situation about the outstanding salaries is even worse with the local government workers and primary school teachers in the state.
“That the situation has reached an unbearable level with workers of
Ekiti State as thereby put the name and integrity of the labour leaders at stake, hence, they could not stand and fold their arms.
“With just two months left for this government to finish its
tenure, workers of Ekiti State are now hopeless about the payment of
the outstanding salaries, pension, gratuity and deductions owed by the state government more so that there are no convincing strategies in place to fulfil the promise that this administration will not leave as a debtor.
“Sequel to this, leaders are now in a difficult position to convince workers of the State on the need to endure further,” the statement concluded.