Ekiti Govt Faults Labour’s 21Days Ultimatum Over Unpaid Benefits

By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti state government has reacted to the 21 days strike notice issued by industrial unions in the state describing it as inappropriate and untimely.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) Ekiti state chapter had early this week demanded that the Dr Kayode Fayemi led administration to offset public servants outstanding entitlements within 21 days, failure of which the workers will go on strike.

Unpaid Benefits being demanded by the workers include unremitted deductions for cooperative savings, leave bonus and arrears of promotion and salary among others.

A former labour leader and now special assistant to the governor on labour matters, Kolawole Olaiya in a statement in Ado Ekiti pointed out that the allegation by TUC is untrue as Dr Kayode Fayemi administration is not owing workers.

He said it was the immediate past administration of Governor Ayodele Fayose that owed workers several months of salaries and pensions, but workers are getting their salaries as at when due under the present administration.

“Before this government came on board in October 2018, salaries and pensions were owed workers, so labour leaders should applaud this present administration for a job well done,” he said.

According to him, presently, Ekiti state workers’ welfare is priority as salaries and pensions are paid same time unlike before when workers and pensioners would get their entitlement at different time.

Olaiya, a former TUC chairman in the state, described Governor Fayemi led administration as the best ever since the inception of the state in terms of infrastructural development based on various laudable projects that have been embarked upon and completed to solve workers accommodation problems for effective service delivery.

He stated that the civic centre named after obafemi Awolowo, the elderly resorts home, ultra modern water corporation house, construction of model schools named after Ekiti heroes, were part of projects already completed by the administration.

The Governor’s aide said ongoing work on the knowledge zone and international cargo airport and other people oriented projects are testimonies of good governance under Governor Fayemi’s administration.

He noted that government has done well at ensuring that gratuity and arrears inherited from the past administration are paid, just as the government has spent over three billion naira to defray gratuities.

Olaiya stated that salaries and pensions owed by the Fayose government are paid, while the the state is among those that approved minimum wage for the workers.

He explained that “The previous administration got bailout funds, Paris club refund and budget support funds aside statutory allocation and internally generated revenue (IGR) and still owed workers and pensioners, but this government with meager resources has not owed workers salary and pension.

“The present government needs to be applauded by labour leadership in the state being a worker friendly administration,” Olaiya said.