Angry workers in their thousands repeatedly booed Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, calling him names on Tuesday for alleged hostile disposition towards their colleagues in the state.
Amosun, who
hurriedly adjourned his meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria
Labour Congress (NLC), Com. Ayuba Wabba and other affiliate unions,
rushed out of the Governor’s Office on being notified the irate workers
had already hit the road and were advancing speedily to storm Oke –
Mosan.
But his escape was not quick enough as the workers, who
had taken over the IBB Boulevard leading to the Oke – Mosan Governor’s
Office sighted him as he drives himself away in a black jeep and began
to boo him, calling him many names.
They urged Wabba and other
NLC leaders negotiating with the Governor on behalf of the aggrieved
workers to be tactful and apply utmost wisdom, alleging that Amosun is
accustomed to reneging on his promises to workers.
Wabba, who
also left the meeting with the Governor to calm the workers and halt
their advancement to Oke – Mosan, said they were already in a dialogue
with respect to four fundamental issues affecting state workers and that
a commitment had been obtained from the Amosun he would address those
issues.
The NLC leadership added that one of the four issues is
the call for reinstatement of the state NLC Chairman, Akeem Ambali, whom
he sacked over a year ago.
He announced Ambali has been reinstated by the Governor, assuring that their presence in the state is not politically motivated.
According
to him, before the close of the day, NLC would sign an agreement with
the state government regarding its commitment to address the issues of
unremitted salary deduction, contributory pension funds, unpaid salaries
and allowances of staff of Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu –
Ijebu among others.
Earlier, Wabba lamented the litany of anti –
workers decisions of Amosun – led administration in the state, citing
the sack of NLC Chairman, Com. Akeem Ambali, and “unremitted deduction
of over 105 months” as examples of hostile workers policies.
According
to the NLC leadership, no other state in Nigeria has such unprecedented
record of either sacking union leader or having over 105 months of
accumulated unremitted deductions.
Wabba, who was particularly
appalled by the “very pathetic” situation of workers at the Tai Solarin
College of Education, said some of them at the institutions have not
earned salaries for the past eight years, lamenting their salaries have
accumulated to the tune of over N4b (four billion naira).
He
revealed some of the workers of Tai Solarin College of Education being
owed by state government have died, stressing that Amosun – led
administration worsened the plights of the workers by proscribing their
union.
“The is the issue of statutory deductions, deductions of
pension, deductions of unions dues, deductions of cooperatives, all
statutory deductions which are part of the worker salaries.
“The
law is that you must deduct and remit to the appropriate quarters, these
deductions have not been remitted for over 105 months, and no state in
Nigeria that has such situation.”
Source:- Independentng
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