By Chris Nomjov
Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose has reportedly embarked on an indefinite strike in solidarity with public workers in the state who are on strike over unpaid five months salaries.
The governor made the declaration in Ado Ekiti in a broadcast on the state owned television in Ekiti State.
In the broadcast, the governor declared this in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, in a state-wide broadcast. Fayose disclosed that he had paid the January salary of local government workers, primary school teachers and subventions to tertiary institutions in the state.
The governor in the broadcast said he had been truthful in what he declared as the internally generated revenue and the N2.6b workers’ wage bill.
Fayose said, “I want to tell workers that I have placed myself on indefinite strike in solidarity with you. I share your pains, but it was rather unfortunate that a man can’t give what he doesn’t have.
“I have told you the true position of the finances of the state, of which you had played critical roles in allocation of federal allocations to relevant sectors which shows how well I had carried you along since the dwindling revenue to the state commenced.
“During my first term, I mean, 2003 to 2006, I used to pay salary of workers by 21st of every month. But the present situation is very unfortunate and we have to learn how to live with it until the country wriggle out of it and things will change for better.
“I want to say that I will be expecting you back to your offices when you are ready to return to work. I shall be expecting you, because presently I am handicapped and there is nothing I can do.
“But before then, I have placed myself on indefinite strike in solidarity with your course. But I appeal that you put the interest of the state above everything, because the present position affects everybody,”
It would be recalled that public workers in Ekiti State had on May 26 began an industrial action to press home for the payment of their salaries. Labour unions also shunned a meeting called by the state government, citing insecurity of their lives and properties owing to an anti-workers protest by drivers unions in the state.
The situation with the striking workers and the unions was not helped by Fayose’s remarks that he wasn’t going to sell his family to settle workers’ pay in the state.
The governor in the broadcast said he had been truthful in what he declared as the internally generated revenue and the N2.6b workers’ wage bill.
It remains to be seen who the Governor’s industrial action is targeted.
