Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has advised Governor Ayodele Fayose not to renege on his promise to pay workers the second salary as early as possible to cushion the adverse economic effects on them.
Workers, under the auspices of the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) in the state had embarked on four weeks of industrial action to press for the immediate payment of January to May salaries owed by the state government and pension arrears of retirees.
Speaking in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the NLC Chairman in Ekiti, Ade Adesanmi, pleaded with the governor to pay the workers as soon as the expected ‘budget support fund’ enters the state government’s account.
Adesanmi said part of the resolutions reached during the labour unrest was that the government will pay one month salary out of the six owed and will respond swiftly by paying the second one immediately the support fund gets to Ekiti, ‘probably by middle of July’.
The NLC leader urged government to expedite action on the release of the money, so that the workers won’t lose faith in the government.
Adesanmi , however, praised Fayose for acting promptly as promised by paying the workers the first salary immediately the industrial feud was suspended.
He urged that payment of the second salary immediately support fund is received by government will rekindle the strong tie between Fayose’s government and the entire state’s workforce.
The NLC boss said: “We are hopeful that workers will get their salaries as soon as the budget support fund enters the state government’s account.
“And we learn’t that the process for the release of the fund to the state is almost concluded. We plead that government must press more because there was little the one month salary paid could do for my members.
“Workers were already heavily indebted to the banks, traders and many other places, so we pray that the economy of the country vis-a-viz that of Ekiti improve for workers to return to that glorious era when salaries are paid as and when due.”
