By Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The organised labour in Ogun State on Monday declared an indefinite strike over the refusal of the state government to pay their 21-month cooperative deductions and what the labour termed “general pathetic plight” of workers in the State.
The leadership of the organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), declared the strike while addressing workers at the arcade ground, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The strike, which takes effect from 12am on Tuesday, would affect ministries, agencies, hospitals and public schools.
The Union had last week given Governor Dapo Abiodun seven days to address their demands or face an industrial action.
The strike followed the expiration of the ultimatum issued by the workers to Abiodun over his government’s inability to pay 21 months cooperative deductions, nonpayment of eight years statutory leave allowances, non implementation of contributory pension scheme as amended in 2013 among others.
The workers who were singing solidarity songs against the government, berated Abiodun for failing to honour the agreement contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the labour in October 2020.
Declaring the strike action, the Chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Emmanuel Bankole, said the strike became imperative following serveral failed attempts to meet the governor over their plights, saying the government had failed to respond to over seven letters written to the government on the issue.
Bankole who was flanked by the Chairman of TUC, Akeem Lasisi and the Chairman of JNC, Isa Olude directed all the workers in the employ of the state government to stay away from work.
According to him, the strike which will take effect from 12a.m Tuesday (today) will be a total and indefinite strike, declaring that there is no going back until their demands are met by the governor.
Bankole said, “We are here today to take our destiny in our own hands. The leadership is ready. We must start a new beginning, we must tell them (government) that we are workers and we are not slaves. The time is now, a stop must be put to this.
“Our future and that of workers of Ogun state is in great jeopardy. Governance is a serious business and whoever that is not ready for it, I think it is time we tell such person to go home.
“Having given them enough time but they are so busy to attend to us, maybe if we go home for some time, they will have time to attend to our matter.
“There is no going back. We have given them so long a rope to draw.
“It is my opinion and my conviction that Ogun state workers are saying that we should embark on a full blown strike.
“We are embarking on indefinite strike from 12 mid night, let all the workers stay back at home. The implication is that nobody is expected at work tomorrow.
“Anyone who reports for duty tomorrow (Tuesday) is a traitor and it has never been well with a traitor,” Bankole said.