By Richard Thomas
Civil Servants in Oyo State on Monday morning besieged the government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan protesting the salary deductions, delay in promotion letters among other benefits from the state government.
It will be recalled that the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had last week called on the state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde to immediately address the demands of the labour union or come and address the workers one on one in order to continue the harmonious relationship between the workers and government in the state.However, the governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde did not show up at the scene of the protest amid high expectations.
The labour unions are demanding the state government to release the outstanding salary deductions and other entitlements of workers in the state from January 2023 till date.
The protest however disrupted and grinded commercial activities in the area, especially commercial activities of commuters and motorists plying the route.
The protest which lasted several hours had the protesting workers chanting solidarity songs while others displayed placards with various inscriptions which included, “Pay salary arrears now, “Let the poor breathe and many others.
Speaking with Journalists, the Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Comrade Bosun Olabiyi insisted that the state governor need to address them on their demands ranging form six months deductions of workers salaries, pension arrears, promotion letters and many others to sustain the harmonious relationship between workers and the state government.
“When I came on board as the Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the state last year November (2022), there was outstanding of six months deductions of workers salaries not paid by the state government.
“And during January 2023 prayer meeting, the governor promised to release two months for workers which we didn’t see, all of these and many others led to our agitation, a development which resulted to the protest of today.”
“Pensioners in the state are really suffering, I can tell you that some pensioners are still recieving below one thousand naira per month in these days of high inflation. The last time pension was reviewed was during the administration of late governor Adebayo Also Akala in 2007.
“There are series of arrears government is owing pensioners, apart from the issue of promotion letters in 2020 and 2021. There is also the issue of leave bonus in 2020, series of letters written to him without reply or response, hence the protest of today. We demand the governor to come out and talk to us on on one, otherwise the protest will continue tomorrow Tuesday, he added.
Comrade Olabiyi told Journalists that the protest is different from the strike action scheduled by the organized labour to hold on August 2, 2023, occasioned by the removal of oil subsidy, adding the union will join the strike if development is the resolution of the NLC.
Also Speaking, the state chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Chief Isiaka Abimbola Abolade decried the action of the state government on the welfare of pensioners in state, adding that the development has really affected the wellbeing of pensioners across the state.
He recalled that governor Makinde was doing well until 2022 when he stopped paying their gratuities, a development which has seriously affected their livelihood.
“We want him to address the 13 point agenda including the gratuities and arrears of Pensioners of primary school teachers and many others.”
Addressing newmen at the scene of the protest, the state chairman of the union, Comrade Kayode Martins said the union has series of issues before the governor which demands urgent attention.
Comrade Martins said: “We are not fighting with Mr Governor, all we demand from him is that he should attend to our demands, the labour union and the entire civil servants in the state deserve his attention on the issues before him. The issues are the reasons for our agitation, hence, we want him to address us in order to clear the air so that the harmonious relationship between us and the governor will continue.”
He said the union will not condone any form of victimisation on any civil servant over the protest, warning that anything of such will further heighten the issue on ground.
While commending the security agents and the workers for the peaceful protest, Comrade Martins said the labour union will return to the to draw board to determine the next line of action should the governor fails to come and address the workers.
