Governor Dapo Abiodun has been given a fresh 7-day ultimatum by the Organised Labour in Ogun state, to address the issues surrounding the unremitted 21 months deductions from salaries of workers on the payroll of the State Government.
Chairman of the state council of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Emmanuel Bankole, his counter part from Trade Union Congress, Comrade Akeem Lasisi and that of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Isa Olude issued the ultimatum in a joint statement on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the state capital, following the failure of the governor to respond to the issues of deductions and other demands of workers as stated in the letter earlier written to him two weeks ago
They expressed their displeasure over the governor's silence on the request for immediate dialogue with government as contained in the previous correspondence titled
"The Growing Restiveness Among Employees of the State Civil/Public Service".
The labour in the statement described as worrisome, a situation where neither official response nor acknowledgement to the letter was received till date.
The workers in the letter are demanding for the immediate remittance of 21 months of deductions made from their salaries and other unpaid deductions to co-operative societies and banks to clear their loan facilities among other demands
The ultimatum reads in part:
” We call for immediate remittance of 21 months of deductions.
“For clarity, these deductions are part of earned salary deducted from individual workers with the instructions that they will be remitted to other recipients, that is, cooperative societies, Bank loan repayment obligations.
” The state government failed in remitting as appropriate.
” The deliberate breach of the state Pension Reform Law, 2006 (amended 2013) in the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme.
” What obtains in the last 13 years, is one-sided practice of the Ogun State Pension Law [2006] amended in 2013 with unfailing monthly deduction of 7.5% of Basic salary from all state employees whilst the counter part payment of 7.5% from the state government, as the law stipulates, is nil.
”
Eight years of unpaid Statutory Leave Allowances. (The current administration owes nearly four (4) years of it).
” Restoration of payment of Gross Salary,” the statement stated.
According to the Labour leaders, It is evident that nearly all payment-related issues raised arise from the failure of the state government to give approval to the payment of Gross Salary.
“Suffice to view the situation as State Government deliberate policy of anti workers’ welfare programme to entrench poverty and spread of agonies.
“Non implementation of Consequential Adjustment on Minimum Pension as mandated by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
” Disheartening enough, as at date, the minimum pension in the State remain as paltry as N5,000.
” 2021 and 2022 promotion exercise must be accorded the priority it deserve. The state government have taken the statutory exercise as though it is a favour.
“Various agreements and official pronouncements of the state government have been largely pitted in the negative. The state government has clearly taken the State Civil/Public Service as one inconvenience treated with negligent stance.
“Mindful of the pathetic plight and the sustained agitations of our members however, we are inviting the state government to attend to the issues raised within the next seven days, effective from date of this reminder:.
The Organised Labour explained that they remained partners in the project of advancing the socioeconomic fortunes of the state and that they had been quite accommodating in spite of failed promises.
” Averting the imminent labour unrest would be ideal at this juncture hence our call for dialogue.
“Do please be eminently assured of our esteemed considerations, Your Excellency,” they stated
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