Covid-19: Ekiti workers warn Fayemi against pay cut, demand 2018 arrears

The organised labour in Ekiti state has told governor Kayode Fayemi not to consider any move for salary reduction despite the present economic challenges facing the government.


The labour unions, comprising Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, also  requested immediate payment of outstanding salaries by governor Fayemi, to ease the effect of lockdown on the populace.


Governor Fayemi, had on Tuesday announced the slashing of salaries of himself, Deputy, Bisi Egbeyemi and political appointees by 50 percent.


They spoke at a press conference jointly addressed by the Chairmen of NLC, Com. Kolapo Olatunde and his counterpart in TUC, Com Sola Adigun in Ado Ekiti prior to Friday’s Workers’ Day.


In his address, the NLC boss asserted that the menace of Covid 19 has affected every worker , saying this time  remains the most appropriate opportunity to assuage their  sufferings  by paying their salaries promptly as well as  palliatives.


“We are still being owed  three months  salary arrears,  outstanding leave bonuses,  backlog of promotion arrears, while the minimum wage was  yet to be implemented across board.


 “As of today, the local government workers and primary school teachers are owed  six months salary arrears while the secondary school teachers and civil servants are owed three months respectively. We have waited for over one year and we have done our best and make the right sacrifices.


“The national president of the NLC gave me a  matching order  to tell our governor that the salaries  of our workers can’t take them home and there shouldn’t be any reason for  government to think of  pay cut in Ekiti.”


Olatunde appreciated the government and health workers in Ekiti for working hard to reduce the number of victims of  Covid 19 to eight.


“The reduction in the  number was because   the government woke up early to take precautionary measures”.


The TUC Chairman, Com Adigun, said  what the workers are collecting in Nigeria  was never  a living wage , expressing optimism that they will breathe a sigh  of relief someday.


“We thank the  governor and members of his cabinet  for sacrificing part of their living wage to fight the menace of Covid 19 . Workers  are not collecting a living wage, so we are not expecting any reduction in our salaries”.


Adigun advised the government to deploy more energy to promote the welfare of the people and devise ways to defeat  covid 19 pandemic, Boko Haram insurgents , kidnapping,  corruption and all manners of criminalities.


The TUC boss advised the Ekiti government  to encourage farming among  civil servants, in the spirit of diversification, to halt sole dependence on federal allocation.

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