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Oyo Urge Striking Workers To Demonstrate Greater Understanding

The Oyo State Government has called on its Civil Servants to call off the ongoing strike by its labour union. The government asked the workers … Continue reading Oyo Urge Striking Workers To Demonstrate Greater Understanding


Fuel Price, NLC Strike, Abia, Anambra, NLC

OyoThe Oyo State Government has called on its Civil Servants to call off the ongoing strike by its labour union.

The government asked the workers to show greater understanding of the situation which had affected the payment of salaries as and when due.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday at his office in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the Head of Service, Mr Soji Eniade, urged the workers to resume and allow further negotiations to be made between the labour union and the government.

He confirmed the receipt of the letter from the State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), to the effect that its national body had given a directive to commence an industrial action from Monday, May 25, as a result of unpaid salaries.

The Oyo State Government on Tuesday described the industrial action as ‘premature and insensitive’ to ongoing negotiations between government and the union.

Mr Eniade, however, said it was on record that since the inception of the present administration, payment of salaries had been made latest by the 25th day of every month.

He also added that the feat had been maintained until recently, when allocation to states from the Federal Government started nose-diving.

The Head of Service further maintained that the paucity of funds had been severally discussed with the representatives of the labour union, on the need to fashion out ways of addressing the unfortunate development.

He emphasised that the present condition of the state called for partnership between government and workers, particularly on ways of improving the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), to augment the dwindling federal allocation.

Mr Eniade revealed that while the monthly wage bill stood at 5.2 billion Naira, the amount received last from the Federation Account was 2.6 billion Naira, leaving a shortfall of 2.6 billion Naira for the payment of workers’ salaries only, aside other developmental programmes.

Stressing the need for greater understanding on the part of the workers, he said the situation was not peculiar to the state alone.

The Head of Service said Oyo State was owing two months salaries, as against some states owing their workers between five and nine months salaries.