CIVIL servants in Oyo State have persisted in their protest, maintaining the blockade of the state Secretariat today, as they continue to voice their demands for palliatives, an increase in pension allowances, and payment of salary deductions.
Participating in the protest are workers and pensioners, united under the banners of prominent labor unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and their affiliates.
Despite the release of a statement by Prince Dotun Oyelade, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, urging workers to engage in exhaustive dialogue before resorting to protests, and returning to their duty posts, the workers remain dissatisfied with the government’s response and continue their demonstration today, reiterating their same demands.
Speaking with members of the NLC at the protest ground, they express their disappointment at the lack of progress in addressing the issue of salary deductions and other welfare packages owed to them. A civil servant, who wished to remain anonymous, stressed that such withheld funds are vital for civil servants to meet their various needs and support their families, particularly in the face of economic challenges affecting the entire country.
In response to the government’s statement released on behalf of the Governor, they insist that what’s lacking is sincerity on the part of the government. The workers demand that the Governor himself speaks about his plans to address the payment issues and how he intends to provide relief amid the increased prices of commodities following the removal of fuel subsidy by President Tinubu.
A comrade from the NLC, Mrs. Soara Oluwafunmilayo adds that while they are open to dialogue, they prefer direct communication with the Governor, emphasizing that intermediaries are unnecessary when the Governor is their ultimate authority. Their stance is clear: the protest will continue until the Governor is willing to engage with them directly.
Led by their union leaders, the workers also demand the payment of leave bonuses, the resolution of stagnated gratuities for retirees since 2021, and the release of promotion letters for both 2021 and 2022.
As the protest continues, the workers are resolute in their stance, vowing to persist until the governor addresses them directly and takes concrete actions to fulfill their demands and alleviate their grievances
