Government business and academic activities in public schools were paralysed yesterday as civil servants and teachers in Ekiti State began an indefinite strike to protest the non-payment of five-month arrears of salaries and deductions.
This followed the expiration of a 48-hour ultimatum issued by the state councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC).
State chairmen – Ade Adesanmi (NLC); Odunayo Adesoye (TUC) and Oladele Blessing (JNC)- noted that they had no option than to strike “having displayed uncommon understanding over the financial position of the state” and endured with the government.
The state secretariat housing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), new Governor’s Office, old Governor’s Office, the High Court complex, House of Assembly complex and all public schools were deserted.
The labour unions in a May 23 letter to Governor Ayo Fayose said the non-payment of salaries, pensions, gratuities and deductions have inflicted hardship on workers and retirees.
The workers accused Fayose of lack of accountability and insincerity on the state’s actual wage bill.
They also accused the governor of not being transparent on the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
They said: “Government made Labour believed that over N500 million will be saved monthly from the screening exercise of April 2015.
“But for over a year, the report of the screening exercise has not been made public.
“The monthly wage bill of N2.6 billion as put up by the government is not acceptable to us.
“The amount declared as IGR is not transparent enough; the highest of N280 million is too low in view of the aggressive IGR embarked upon by the administration since its inception.”
But Fayose in his response declared that strike is not the solution to the problems faced by the workers.
He said the latest allocation of N751 million for April is not enough to pay salaries.
This was against the N1.3 billion the state received for March.
The governor said he cannot offer himself or his family to pay salaries.
Fayose, who spoke in a statewide broadcast yesterday, said he was helpless as workers’ had always been his priority
He said: “I know workers have not been coming to work, but I don’t have the moral (right) to stop them.
“But I can only disburse what I receive from the Federation Account.
“If workers want to go on strike, I sympathise with them but we will be here waiting till when they come back.
“I can’t sell myself to pay workers. Even the Government House where I live does not have diesel to power generator at times.
“I want the workers and the public to show understanding. This is not about Ekiti, it is an issue that affects all of us.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Stupid ewa and moimoi governor
ReplyDeleteThe highest IGR for your whole state is N280M. An individual alone is given N400M. Your state allocation is N751M. Three individuals share a bit more than that amongst themselves. N2.6B is your monthly wage bill. An individual has looted this and returned over N1b which is almost your march allocation of N1.3b. So basically some individuals have become states. Yet you are the first person to accuse the Presidency of witch hunting. Does it matter which party members are being prosecuted? If they were not thieves would they be prosecuted? So can these individuals who have become states be made to return all looted money and as well as punished for stealing? Your party is positioning itself to take over power in 2019. Please do not spare any looters of this current government in power then. For me as a Nigerian citizen deprived of basic ameneties because of looters, all I want is for all public treasury looters to return stolen public funds and be punished accordingly. Please Mr Governor pay the salaries of your workers and do the needful in your state. Stop distracting others trying to do theirs. #StayGuided
ReplyDeletePadrone, thank you! There can't be a better response than yours. Thank you.
DeleteMy exact sentiments. Thank u!!!
DeleteSo this SS can say something besides sai Buhari?
Deleteidiot so you have this problems and you are busy throwing tantrum at PMB. you have not seen anything yet, whatsoever a man sow he shall reap. you pitched tent with GEJ because he used the military to help you rig elections to your favour. All the rabble rousing and mudslinging will fall back to your face...sycophant governor
ReplyDeleteThis man is busy buying kpomo n beans on the street,
ReplyDeletehe cant manage only Ekiti state and he is abusing a man that is managing the entire country, using Ekiti people workers salaries to pay for newspapers and TV adverts wishing the president death, lets see mr. Gomina
ReplyDeleteIn as much i reason with the workers for not being pay their salaries because it is not easy as they too have family to cater for but on the order hand is not the fault of Fayose it is about APC government which is affecting everything all over Nigeria as far as i am concern this government has distablise the system of Nigeria, this big trouble! God help us out of all these trobles because it is the poor is affecting mostly
ReplyDeleteSo, Fayose want FG to do what his State can not do. He want Buhari to do what he can not do.
ReplyDeleteYou dont bite the finger that feed you. The higher the FG revenue, the higher the states allocation.
Fayose is so dump to understand this.
Bible called them HYPOCRITES......they tell people to do what they can not do.