NLC shuts down activities in Oyo state secretariat in fresh protest

The protest declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Oyo State chapter gained momentum in Ibadan on Monday as labour leaders stormed the State secretariats to enforce compliance.

The labour unions involved are the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC); Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, (NULGE) and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP).

The gates of the state secretariat were locked, while many other public offices were also put under lock and key.

Speaking on behalf of the workers, Comrade Bamgboye Abiodun, known as Trosky, said the action followed the failure of the state government to heed to its numerous ultimatums issued over its demands.

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The NLC leader listed 14 issues in contention, which included “payment of gratuities to our retirees of both state and local government, pending since 2014 and 2012 for state and local government retirees, respectively”.

Others are the “remittance of deductions from workers’ salaries, full implementation of the minimum wage, implementation of promotion arrears, and reinstatement of pensioners wrongfully removed from payroll”.

Comrade Femi Aborisade, a retiree, said some pensioners in the civil service are not enjoying full payment of pensioners.

He added that cooperative deductions, Union check-off dues must be paid to civil servants, as a matter of duty by the Oyo State Government.

He appealed to Security operatives to position themselves in strategic places to ensure the safety of all workers involved in the procession.

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Also, the Secretary, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Comrade Segun Abatan said the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has never made himself available to pensioners for negotiation.

Abatan said pensioners in the State were receiving ridiculous amounts as pensions, which ought to have been reviewed by the Oyo State Government.

Reacting to the development earlier, the special adviser to the governor on labour matters, Com. Titilola Sodo said most of the demands by leaders of NLC have been met.

He said the unions had not exhausted all avenues for dialogue before embarking on the protest.