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| Governor Isiaka Ajimobi |
The Oyo State Government on Wednesday warned
striking workers in the state that they would not be paid if they refused to go
back to work.
Leaders of the joint section of the Oyo State
Executive Councils of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and
the Joint Negotiation Council said workers in the state called for a three-day
warning strike in solidarity with their colleagues at the six tertiary
institutions belonging to the state.
The union leaders said workers at The
Polytechnic, Ibadan; Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo; Oyo State
College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora; The Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa;
The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki; and the College of Education, Lanlate, have
been on strike over non-payment of their salary arrears and reduction of
government subvention to the schools to 25 per cent.
The union leaders said the strike was also called
to protest the sacking of 256 workers at the Ladoke Akintola University of
Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, and other issues affecting the health
sector as presented by the Joint Health Sector Union.
But in a release by the Secretary to the Oyo
State Government, Olalekan Alli, the state denied most of the allegations
levelled against it by the unions, stressing that it committed larger share of
the state income to the payment of salaries and gratuities.
The statement added that after receiving a letter
of notification from the unions on Tuesday, the government invited the union
leaders to a meeting which they shunned.
The statement explained that the law that
established the six institutions did not state that the government would be
solely responsible for the payment of their salaries.
The statement said, “Salaries and pensions of
workers at the state level have been paid up till and including November 2017
with only one month salary and pension (December 2017) outstanding.
“… Similarly, government enjoins all workers in
the state not to absent themselves from duty, as doing so will attract the
no-work no-pay rule according to the Trade Dispute Act 2010 Section 43(1)(a).”
The government alleged that the recent forensic
audit reports on the six tertiary institutions showed that there were
shortcomings such as inefficiencies, leakages, and poor management.
“Some
institutions were even declared unsustainable and unviable. The consultant
further recommended their closure. However, the recently constituted
Governing Councils have been mandated to review their statuses and act
suitably,” it added.
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