Amosun pardons three out of four sacked labour leaders

Ogun state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on Monday pardoned three out of the four labour leaders sacked last year in the state.

The labour leaders were dismissed by the state government in October last year for an alleged misconduct during the World’s Teachers Day celebration.
They are the out-gone chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Dare Ilekoya; Eniola Atiku and Nola Balogun.

Meanwhile, the state council chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Akeem Ambali was not pardoned.

Amosun who announced the pardon at the M. K. O. Abiola, Kuto, Abeokuta, venue of the Workers Day celebration converted the dismissal to compulsory retirement with their full benefits.

He said since Ambali has gone to court it would be prejudicial to make any announcement on his own case.

It would be recalled that Ambali had approached the National Industrial Court, Lagos, over his disengagement from the state service.

The governor said: “We are not in anyway interested in punishing anybody. Procedures must be followed. We have been talked to on a daily basis by our leaders and elders in the state.

“We have been told that we have four, but three of them will be reinstated, and the reason is this, one of them has gone to court. Once you are in court, we are forbidden and cannot make any pronouncement on any matter that is in court.

“In the meantime, those under plea, Dare Ilekoya, Nola Balogun and Eniola Atiku, have been pardoned and they have been compulsorily retired with full benefits.”

He explained “Since the fourth person has gone to court, we must allow the process to run it course. After that, we might now take decision on his case.”

The theme of the this year’s celebration is: ‘Labour Relations in Economy Recession: An Appraisal.’

Meanwhile, NLC staged a walk out of the celebration ground, and did not partake in the march past. The reason, we gathered, was basically because of the none reinstatement of the state chairman, Comrade Ambali.

The governor commended the state work force for their support for his administration, adding that 2016 was a challenging year both for the state and federal government.

He further reiterated his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, noting that efforts would be geared towards paying deductions and gratuities which were in arrears.

Amosun stressed that the State government was expecting some money from the Federal Goernment and assured that if they received it, it would be channel to pay the backlog deductions.

Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Olubunmi Adebayo Fajobi who also read the speech of his NLC counterpart, Ambali urged the government to address the issue of the unpaid 13 months deductions, allowances and check-off-dues.

Ambali in his reaction, said the NLC would continue to dialogue with the government to resolve the crisis, he however commended the for the pardon of the workers.