The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Osun
State, Mr. Jacob Adekomi, said on Tuesday, that Governor
Rauf Aregbesola has approved the payment of December,
2014 salary for workers in the state.
Adekomi, who said this at a press conference he addressed
after a meeting with the government delegation led by Chief
of Staff, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, added that the governor also
approved the payment of the 30 per cent balance
of November salaries of some workers who were yet to be
paid in full.
The NLC boss, however, said workers would not suspend
their strike despite the payment of their one month salary
out of seven months.
The Head of Service, Mr. Sunday Owoeye, also confirmed
that workers had started receiving alerts for balance of
November and December 2014 salaries.
He said this in response to an inquiry earlier sent to him by
our corespondent through text message.
Owoeye’s text read, ” They are already receiving alerts for
balance of November, and part of December, 2014. A
journey of 1000km starts with one step. The man who
removes a mountain starts by carrying stones away.”
But Adekomi explained that most workers would not get
anything from the one month salary paid because their
banks would use the meager money for loan repayment
and interest.
According to Adekomi, most workers will not have anything
left to feed themselves let alone transport themselves to
their places of work and because of this, he stressed that
the strike would continue.
The NLC chairman said, ” We appreciate the efforts of the
government to see that salary and pension arrears are
settled without further delay . Our negation with
government is that out of eight months owed us, the
minimum we can take is give months to resume work.
“As it is now, the strike continues while negotiations also
continue. I appeal to all workers in the state to continue to
stay at home until further notice.
“This payment is as good as no payment, because all
deductions must have been made by our various banks.
Because of this , there won’t be money for us to transport
ourselves to work and feed our families.
“Until we have enough money to feed and for our
transportation to work, we will not resume work. The strike
continues.”
The governor had on June 14 promised to pay workers
salaries in a statement made available to our
correspondent by his media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon.
Most workers were being owed seven months salaries but
the statement was silent on whether the governor would pay
all outstanding salaries or he would pay part.
The statement read in part, Before the end of June, workers
would be paid their salaries.”
The governor stated that he had a great dream for the state
and that was why he was in a hurry to begin many
programmes which had earned him applause even outside
the country.
He said further, “The dream has not gone awry and it is a
clear vision that Osun must be on its feet, self-reliant and
be a reference point in Nigeria. The race to ensure
development within the first term of Aregbesola was
informed by the fear of what is happening now.
“Aregbesola wanted an Osun that is self-reliant. That Osun,
almost two decades after its creation, could not boast of
tax-paying companies speaks volume about the magnitude
of the works that awaited the Aregbesola administration.
“But he did not shy away from this task of industrialisation.
Within his first term, his government had caused investors
to bring up companies such as the Omoluabi Garment
Factory, Osogbo, Adulawo/RLG Technology company in
Ilesa.”
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