Workers in Ondo State on Thursday rejected the move of the state government to eject civil servants from the government staff quarters ahead of the planned demolition.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade Ademola Olapade, and the Trade Union Congress, Clement Fatuase, expressed the workers’ disapproval with the demolition during the Workers Day celebration.
The labour leaders emphasised that there was no adequate arrangement to compensate the workers who would be displaced from their official quarters.
According to Olopade, “The Ondo State government’s plan to redevelop the Alagbaka staff quarters has raised significant concerns among civil servants and labour unions.
“While the government cites urban renewal and modernisation as the primary initiatives, it threatens to displace workers without an adequate resettlement or compensation plan.
“The proposed demolition of the quarters without proper engagement with inhabitants/labour unions undermines the welfare of Ondo State’s workforce.
“Such dialogue is crucial to ensure that the development plans align with the interests and well-being of all stakeholders by fostering inclusive discussions. The government can uphold its commitments to workers’ welfare while pursuing its urban development goals.”
On his part, the TUC state chairman, Fatuase, said that “information has it that the state government is planning to demolish all quarters occupied by productive workers of Ondo State.
“If that is true, we say categorically that we totally reject this, as it will further bring hardship into our already tense economy. We therefore suggest that the quarters should be renovated for the good use of workers to alleviate their suffering and improve productivity.
“Going forward, we further plead that Mr Governor should make plots of land available at affordable prices for workers of Ondo State by engaging the State Property and Development Company.”
Meanwhile, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has advised workers in the state against short-changing the government, but they should focus on upscaling revenue generation and preventing waste and leakages.
Aiyedatiwa, who advised workers not to compromise the integrity of the public service, appealed to them to continue to justify the government’s huge investment in their welfare, stressing that his administration will never let them down.
The governor, who stated that the welfare of workers within and outside the bureaucracy of the state will not be sacrificed on the altar of politics, emphasised that a more inclusive and equitable workforce will continue to be prioritised.
