Posted by By YINKA FABOWALE on
Amid unrelenting hostilities, Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala on Tuesday insisted that his government would not be intimidated in its current row with striking workers in the state.
Amid unrelenting hostilities, Oyo State Governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala on Tuesday insisted that his government would not be intimidated in its current row with striking workers in the state.
The workers, who are on industrial action to persuade government to pay a new wage structure, early in the week got the backing of the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which has reportedly directed that the National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers (NUPENG) should join them in solidarity.
However, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant (Strategy), Sola Abegunde, Governor Akala reiterated his conviction that the strike was politically motivated and in no way connected with the welfare of the workers. He thus declared that his administration would not be intimidated by "any amount of blackmail or pressure put up by any individual, or group of individuals under the guise of labour unions."
He observed that several questions he posed against the decision of Labour to embark on strike had not been answered.
"Of great importance is the challenge that the Labour violated all laid down rules and procedures with regards to notice, before embarking on the ill-advised strike. The question that Labour is being teleguided by some failed politicians; grave as it is, has also not been answered," the governor said, adding: "The recent directive by the national leadership of Labour that NUPENG should join in the strike is a pointer that the strike is politically motivated. The big question that hangs on the neck of the national leadership of Labour is, where was fair hearing? A decision was purportedly taken in Delta State without hearing government's side of the story."
He accused Labour of also allowing itself to be used to score political points.
Alao-Akala said: "As a government, we believe in the biblical injunction that says unless God builds, those who build do so in vain. With God on our side, the efforts of all masquerading in the names of Labour or whatever name to destroy the present government of Oyo State shall end in peril.
"The present Administration in Oyo State is committed to providing democracy dividends to all classes and groups of its populace and not a fraction of the populace."