The National Labour Congress (NLC) and Oyo workers came out en masse at the State secretariat entrance to demand from Seyi Makinde led administration to address the non-remittance of their salary deductions, among other demands for a better well-being for Nigerians.
Oyo State workers among other labour protesters and students converged in solidarity at 10:00 am, Wednesday, 2nd August 2023 to make their eight point demand known to the Oyo State government.
The state workers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) have been on a two days strike prior to the nationwide protest held Wednesday. Making it the third day of their strike action.
Tribune Online spoke with Ola Adeosun, lawyer and deputy coordinator of the Joint Action Force (JAF), who urged the State government to react to workers’ grievances by giving reasons why money is not paid to workers’ accounts
Adeosun also demanded from the Federal government why no intervention was made before the removal of fuel subsidy.
“Government should say why it has decided not to remit money collected from the workers over time, “Adeosun demanded.
Another civil servant Tribune spoke with, Apostle Ademola Aremu, the coordinator of Traffic in Oyo State, said, Government, both at the state and federal level, should allow the masses to breathe, as workers should be paid their salaries.
He said, “Government should allow us to breathe.
“You know cabals and the people who are stealing, but you keep mute about it.
“Reveal all of them, as people are dying in the country,” Apostle Ademola charged.
Oluwakemi Aremu and Comrade KT unanimously asked the Oyo government to pay up workers’ deductions so they can provide for the needs of their families.
Gift Precious, a Coalition for Revolution Corp member, also expressed her displeasure over the present state of the country.
She said,” We are here to register our displeasure about the country’s situation, as the system is no longer working for the masses, and pensioners are dying. Concerning education, the government has added a 500% increase to school fees; what happens to the poor masses in the country?
Akintayo Ayomide, a Social worker, also said, “We youths of Nigeria are here to fight for our rights,
Since they came on board, all policies made by the Government are anti-people’s policies. Salaries are not paid adequately for several months now. Today, to ask why they haven’t been paid their salaries as and when due, hike prices in commodities, people can no longer afford school fees.”
“We are out to tell them we are not okay with what the government is doing .”
The protest was peaceful as the protesters chanted songs,” emi aluta e wole wa ooo” “shey Democracy le yi, ebi pa ara ilu” while members in the procession had written on their placards expressions like: “Employment is a right” “Pay Legislators N30,000 Minimum wage.”
- The demands of NLC and the state workers was covered in the following key points:
- Immediate and unconditional reversal of hike in petrol price from 617 to N195 per litre
- Immediate reversal of hike in school fees in public tertiary institutions.
- No to devaluation of the Naira.
- Rejection of the planned increase in electricity tariff.
- Payment of 8 months’ salaries of university staff for the period of 2022 strike.
- Demands of medical doctors and other health workers.
- Payment of all owed salaries and pension.
- Increase the National Minimum wage to match the rate of inflation.
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