Posted by By FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, Abuja on
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday dismissed as a huge joke the reported sack of the entire 34,000 workforce of the Oyo State government by Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, while asking the striking workers to remain resolute.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Thursday dismissed as a huge joke the reported sack of the entire 34,000 workforce of the Oyo State government by Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, while asking the striking workers to remain resolute.
The organized labour argued that it was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the state could pay the new wage being demanded by the civil servants if only government cold cut down on the various interests it serves, including the "Molete parastatal."
The Congress threw its weight behind the workers' continuous agitation, sparked off by the refusal of the state government to continue with the implementation of the N9,400.00 minimum wage earlier agreed to and implemented by the previous administration of Alhaji Rasidi Ladoja.
The state government had pronounced the striking workers sacked and advertised their positions for interested members of the public to apply within a week.
Reacting to the development, the General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. John Odah, condemned the government's action and described it as "unhelpful, ill-advised and utterly at variance with the principle of seeking a negotiated settlement enunciated at the last meeting between the NLC's national leadership and Governor Alao-Akala."
The congress scribe said, in a statement issued in Abuja, that the mass sack recalls the serial authoritarian arbitrariness unleashed on this country in the dark days of military dictatorship.
It said: "What is at issue is the sanctity of a collective agreement freely and voluntarily entered into between the government of Oyo State and the workers. The controversy over the workability or otherwise of the wage agreement under reference requires moderation and calls for all parties to put on their thinking caps.
"This situation does not admit of quick-fix solutions or knee-jerk actions. In addition, given the resolve of the workers of Oyo State , it should be clear that government's strong-arm tactics and recourse to judicial forum-shopping cannot solve the problem at hand.
"Therefore, the NLC calls on Governor Alao-Akala to rescind the decision, so that the atmosphere is not further fouled while the prospects for a negotiated settlement are not terminally scuttled.
"Congress proposes the resumption of negotiations with a view to closing the gaps in the government and workers' position, so that an agreement can be reached. The possibility of a negotiated settlement must not be foreclosed by the government of Oyo State no matter its frustrations about the pace and dynamics of the process", the statement added.
The NLC commended the resolve and solidarity of the workers of Oyo State and the leadership provided by the State Administrative Council of the NLC, stressing, "we must run this last lap together united in purpose, firm in our resolve and magnanimous in appreciating reasonable concessions made by the leadership of the trade union side."
Commenting earlier, Mr. Olaitan Oyerinde, the deputy general secretary of the NLC, maintained that with N2.6billion from federation account monthly and about N3 million Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), it remains inexcusable that the state could not honour a N9,400 minimum wage with some left for other developmental projects.
He stated that the claim that the labour agitation was political was diversionary, adding, "all the workers are asking for is their wage and nothing more. If a governor approved the wage and implemented it, the next governor should do the same because the government is one continuous, it's the operator that changes."
Meanwhile, Chairman, Oyo State council of the NLC, Comrade Lamidi Basiru Apapa, has described as contempt of court the action of Governor Akala.
Addressing newsmen at the State secretariat of the NLC, American Quarters, Agodi, Ibadan on Thursday, Apapa said the government would be creating more problems for itself to think that it could recruit fresh 34,000 workforce.
Special Adviser to the governor on Public Communication, Prince Dotun Oyelade, however, accused the labour leaders of deceit, saying they had engaged in falsehood to sustain the industrial action, which has entered its fourth week.
He accused the labour leaders of deliberately spreading falsehood against the Akala administration in order to run it down, saying the state was not as buoyant as the workers were made to believe.
Reacting to the decision of Akala to sack all the striking workers, Apapa said it was a sign of the temperament of the governor, describing the action as another negative pace set by the state.
He said: "I want to say that the governor is too temperamental. He has gone to the extreme by saying he has sacked all the workers. I have never heard that in my life. Oyo has set another negative pace.
"When negotiation broke down again on Wednesday, the government team, led by the Chief of Staff, Dr. Saka Balogun, said we should expect the worst.
"Maybe, this is the worst or more are coming. But, we are ready for them. As they are strategizing, so are we. We will not fold our arms, but it will be too premature for me to reveal our strategy.
"I think the governor should be reminded that power is transient. He should not rule Oyo State as his own industry. Whatever happens, the governor should have himself to blame".