AVERT IMMINENT LABOUR UNREST- OGUN NLC TELLS GOVERNOR ABIODUN

There is a palpable tension between the Organized Labour in Ogun State and the State Government under the leadership of Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR.  ValidViewNetwork opines that the tension if not doused may plunge the state into another avoidable industrial action.

The tension is principally as regards the welfare of workers in Ogun State. According to Labour, the welfare of  Ogun State Civil/ Public Service workers’ is in limbo.

In a letter, titled “ Ogun State Civil / Public Service Workers’ Welfare in limbo- Declaration of Seven-Day Ultimatum which was made available to ValidViewNetwork, the Union expressed its displeasure at the fact that its correspondence requesting for a dialogue on the pending issues was neither acknowledged or responded to.  In the opinion of Labour,  the flagrant disregard of a genuine call for discussion is anti- welfare of workers.

The letter reads, “We recall of our correspondence of Tuesday,7^th June 2022 wherein the State Government attention was called to the growing restiveness amongst employees of the State Civil/Public Service with a call for immediate dialogue with the State Government.  It is worrisome however that there has not been neither official response nor acknowledgement to the letter as at date”

ValidViewNetwork reports that one of the cardinal attractions of voters to Prince Dapo Abiodun during the electioneering process was his promise to give the civil servants and pensioners utmost priority. He had identified with the plights of the civil servants.

In the two edge letter conveying the displeasure of Labour and declaring a seven-day ultimatum, the six contentious issues agitating the minds of workers and which require the urgent attention of Government were articulated for the reminder of Government.

In the correspondence jointly signed by Comrades Emmanuel Bankole, Akeem Lasisi and Isa Olude, State NLC Chairman. State TUC Chairman and State Chairman JNC respectively, the Organized Labour listed the issues as

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i 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 be remitted to other  recipients e.g cooperative societies , bank loan repayment obligations etc but which the State Government failed in remitting as appropriate.

ii 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 thirteen (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 counterpart payment of 7.5% from the State Government as the law stipulates,

iii Eight years of unpaid Statutory Leave Allowance. (The current administration owes nearly four years of it)

iv Restoration of payment of gross salary

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

v 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 five thousand  Naira (N5,000:00)

Vi 2021 and 2022 promotion exercise must be accorded the priority it deserves , The State Government have taken the statutory exercise as though it is a favour.

ValidViewNetwork was particularly taken aback by the third contentious issue “Eight years of unpaid Statutory Leave Allowance. (The current administration owes nearly four years of it)”. This is borne out of the fact that one of the issues that galvanized voters for the Governor was his promise to give workers welfare maximum attention. If the four years out of the eight years is understandable, in the opinion of ValidViewNetwork, the nearly four years of unpaid Leave Allowance contradicts the philosophy behind the emergence of Prince Dapo Abiodun as Governor of Ogun State.

The letter concludes “ Your Excellency , the Organized Labour regards itself as partners in the project of advancing the socioeconomic fortunes of our dear State and thus has been quite accommodating in spite of failed promises. Averting the imminent labour unrest would be ideal at this juncture hence our call for dialogue”

Can Ogun State or any other State for that matter afford to witness a labour unrest now?  ValidViewNetwork is of the opinion that no effort should be spared to avert the industrial action.

ValidViewNetwork reports that the Pensioners have also given the Ogun State Government 14-day ultimatum to address their grievances otherwise “ fire will fall”