Workers’ protests: Seat of Oyo govt remains shut
By Stephen Gbadamosi
The Oyo State government secretariat remains shut on Thursday, since workers in the state began a protest against alleged insensitivity to the state civil servants and pensioners by the government.
Recall that Daily Times had reported that workers in the state had, on Monday, locked the state secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital, to demand for palliatives, upward review of pensioners’ allowances and payment of salary deduction.
The development clashed with Wednesday’s Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)’s nationwide protest which has since been shelved.
However, investigation revealed that the state secretariat has remained under lock and keys as of Thursday.
But the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, has clarified that the state government had rallied the NLC to discuss the issue of salary deductions exhaustively, before embarking on any form of protest.
He said in a statement that only two months, and not six months, were owed workers.
The statement added that every state in the federation owed workers’ salary deductions and the three months owed by Oyo State was the least, adding that the NLC had shown, over the years, that they were in support of the present administration “because of good governance,” but asked them to reflect on the disposition of government to workers’ welfare.
Also, the state Civil Service Commission said it had commenced the issuance of the 2021 promotion letters to eligible workers, across all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the state.
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The chairman of the state Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Aderibigbe Kamoru Abiodun, said in a statement on Wednesday that about 2,166 eligible workers in all MDAs had been receiving the promotion letters.
He said “similarly, His Excellency has approved the year 2022 Conversion of 680 officers into various cadres in the civil service of Oyo State.”
However, residents have been complaining that the non-opening of the Secretariat had contributed to the stagnant situation of governance in the state.
