May Day: Abiodun Begs Ogun Workers, Promises To Pay Deductions Quarterly

Governor Dapo Abiodun has pleaded with workers on payroll of the Ogun State Government to be patient with his administration, promising quarterly release of fund to gradually clear the outstanding unremitted deductions  from their salaries now put at 15 months 

The Governor addressing Organized Labour during the 2021 May Day Celebration at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in Abeokuta, the state capital, also assured the Retirees at both the state and local government levels that the quarterly payment of N500million would be reviewed upward as finances of the state improves 

Abiodun  lauded workers for their  uncommon dedication to the implementation of his administration policies, programmes and projects particularly during the peak of coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria in 2020

He assured the workers that the priority would continue be given to their welfare, pledging the immediate implementation of commiserate payment for those currently undergoing promotion exercise for the year 2018, 2019 and 2020 periods 

The Governor who decried the poor state of facilities at the State Government's Secretariat in Oke-mosan Abeokuta, expressed determination of the present administration to fix the civil servants' offices and make it conducive working environment, to motivate and boost their productivity 

Abiodun also renewed the committment of his administration to complete the ongoing inherited infrastructural projects from the Amosun's administration and previous governments while assuring people of the  state of equal  development

"I want to assured people of Ogun State that  no part of the state will be developed at the expense of others," he promised

Both the State Chairmen of Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Bankole and his counterpart from the Trade Unions Congress (TUC,)

Comrade Olubunmi Fajobi had earlier in their seperate speeches at the event, insisted on the implementation of payment of gross salary to workers, as agreed in the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) signed last October, 2020 between Government and Organized Labour 

According to Bankole"Net salary is still being paid instead of gross salary, arrears of leave allowance, cooperative deductions and contributory pension deductions are yet  to be adequately attended to, in line with our MOU, it has become imperative that we return to negotiating table expeditiously resolve all outstanding issues"

For Fajobi who put the totality of unremitted deductions at N40billion says there is , " the need to remodel the Contributory Pension scheme, so as not to put the retirement lives of workers in jeopardy, therefore, becomes compelling, We urge the Government to address this immediately"

They also expressed concern over the disturbing rate of insecure, including banditry, Kidnapping and killing calling for over hauling of the security architecture of the country  and prosecution those caught in the unholy act as part of moves to tackle the security challenges