With a day to the formal inauguration of Seyi Maykinde as governor of Oyo state, it is not clear if the strike embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state would affect the smooth transition or not. AGBOOLA BAYO writes.
Despite the fact that the outgoing administration of Senator Abiola Ajimobi as governor of Oyo state for eight years is gradually coming to end in few days, labour unions in the state are leaving no stone unturned at tasking the outgoing administration to settle their unpaid salaries, pensions as well as meet their other demands before leaving office come Wednesday, May, 29.
The labour unions apparently gripped with the fears of what could be the position of the incoming administration of Engineer Seyi Makinde on Wednesday, May 22, served the outgoing governor a 24-hour ultimatum within which to meet their demands or face strike.
In a letter jointly signed by the Oyo state Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Ibrahim Mohammed and the state’s Joint Negotiations Council, (JNC), chairman, Comrade Lukman Balogun addressed to Governor Abiola Ajimobi titled ‘Re -72 hours Ultimatum Thereof’, the labour unions listed their demands as payment of at least one month arrears of financial benefit of promotion to primary school teachers, payment of at least one month to local governments who are in arrears in places like Lagelu, Surulere and Ibadan North West local government areas, payment of the remaining arrears of salary to JOHESU members, immediate enhancement of security within the state hospital, Ring Road, Ibadan, direct the governing board of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital to reinstate the sacked workers at the hospital and release letters of promotion up to 2016 as being enjoyed by other sectors in the state.
The labour unions emphasised in the letter that if the state government failed to meet up with their demands, “The leadership of all unions in the public service in Oyo state shall not be able to guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the state effect from Friday May, 24. 2019.
“In the light of the above, if all our demands are not met within 24hours, the leadership of all unions in the public service of Oyo state shall not be able to guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the state effect from Friday, 24 May, 2019”.
To that effect, the state NLC on the expiration of its ultimatum to the state government issued a memo to all its members and its affiliate unions directing them to go ahead with the strike with immediate effect on Friday May, 24.
NLC in the memo titled ‘Commencement of Indefinite Strike’ signed by the state NLC, secretary, Comrade Mohamed Ibrahim, said the strike would be in force until further notice.
“It is highly unfortunate that the state government has decided to write us without finding concrete solutions to the deteriorating plight of workers of Oyo state.
“Consequently, in line with the notice earlier served on the government, all workers should embark on an indefinite strike from the midnight of Thursday 23 May 2019 .The strike will remain in force until further directives are conveyed.”
Sensing the possible danger that the strike might be posing for his incoming administration in Oyo state, the governor-elect wasted no time in asking the outgoing governor of the state, Senator Ajimobi to solve the problem he has created before he leaves office.
The governor-elect in a statement issued by his spokesman, Prince Dotun Oyelade, last week tasked Governor Ajimobi to use the same enthusiasm with which he was awarding contracts and paying contractors and recruiting and promoting people to accede to the workers’ demand.
According to Engineer Makinde, the ongoing strike in Oyo state was as a result of total disregard for fiscal prudence and decency in the last few weeks leading to the award of billions of naira of fresh contracts, mobilisation of huge sums of money for projects that have no direct benefit to the masses and open display of monetary generosities to friends of government to the chagrin of workers who feel neglected and isolated in the face of simulated solvency for the strike embarked upon by Oyo state NLC.
The governor-elect therefore advised, saying, “Workers in the state should see beyond the facade created by the outgoing administration and situate their anger to the right quarters”.
Strike won’t affect exercise – NLC
Athough the outgoing administration in the state is making frantic efforts at ensuring a last- minute resolution of the strike to prevent it from having negative effect on the Wednesday’s swearing in of the governor elect, the state NLC chairman, Comrade Bayo Titilola-Sodo, while featuring on a radio programme in Ibadan on Saturday assured that the strike would not affect the handing over and swearing in of the governor elect.
All eyes in the state are now on the outgoing administration and the labour unions as the swearing in ceremony holds this Wednesday. It is expected that something positive can still happen in the ‘Pace Setter State’ about the strike.
