Oyo begs workers over pay as deadline elapses

•APC flays Fayose over
As labour’s ultimatum expires today, the Oyo State government yesterday urged workers to embrace dialogue and consultation as it makes efforts to settle the five-month salary arrears owed workers in the state.

The government, while cautioning against confrontation, pleaded with the workers to exercise restraint and show some understanding.
Both government and labour teams had met last Friday to deliberate on way out of the financial crisis.
While former Secretary to the state government, Olalekan Alli led government delegation, labour’s team was headed by the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Waheed Olojede.

Alli, in a statement, accused labour leaders of acting contrary to the letter and spirit of a subsisting agreement.Labour had on Tuesday issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding defraying of the arrears.

“At the meeting, the state government reaffirms its compliance with the subsisting agreement with labour whereby 90 per cent of allocation from the Federation Account is devoted to payment of salaries and wages of workers on a monthly basis.

“The government also observed that the present conduct of labour is at variance and in total disregard for due process, labour law and practice. In view of the foregoing, the government believes that the labour centres are being insensitive and confrontational.

“However, the labour leaders denied the allegations and apologised accordingly. It further assured the government of its cooperation and maintenance of industrial harmony in the state,” Alli stated.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has criticised Governor Ayodele Fayose over failure to pay workers’ alleged pay arrears.

It said the governor’s alleged preference for building airport, new market and fly-over bridge contradicted his campaign slogan to “tar stomachs” before embarking on physical infrastructure.

The party added that it was sheer opportunism and lack of integrity to deceive the people during campaigns with mouth-watering promises only to turn around to deny them after getting to power to pursue selfish agenda.

The state Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun said in a statement yesterday in Ado Ekiti, claimed that the governor had been playing with the intelligence the people since his assumption of office.“We knew from the outset that Governor Fayose had no programme that could lift Ekiti people out of poverty.

“At best, his stomach infrastructure slogan was meant to dishonestly set Ekiti people, particularly workers, against the immediate past government of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, which embarked on massive infrastructure development for socio-economic needs of Ekiti people.

“As an anti-development politician with an eye on wealth accumulation, Fayose started touting ‘stomach infrastructure’ with the promise never to owe workers’ salaries because people must eat first before embarking on physical infrastructure.

“Now, the governor has turned full circle, telling workers that they should expect pay three times in a year while embarking on a multi-billion naira bridge, market and airport projects,” he explained.