The Oyo state government on Wednesday declared as absolutely illegal, arranged and unjustifiable the three-day unilateral industrial action embarked upon by the labour unions in the state, calling on labour to shelve the action.
Similarly, Government enjoined all workers in the State not to absent themselves from duty, as doing so will attract the no-work no-pay rule according to the Trade Dispute Act 2010 Section43(1)(a).
The government made the call in a release signed by the Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Olalekan Alli, adding that it received a letter on January 23, from Labour conveying its decision to embark on a three-day warning strike from January 24 – 26, 2018 on issues that includes alleged 17-month arrears of salaries of workers in the State’s tertiary institutions, alleged 56-month arrears of pension and gratuity of retired primary school teachers and sack of 256 members of staff of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.
The government said that upon receipt of the letter, it invited Labour to a meeting which Labour promised to attend on Tuesday at 4pm but despite the agreement, Labour failed to attend the scheduled meeting.
Consequently, government declared that it has consistently honoured its obligations to Labour by ensuring monthly salaries are paid from the 100% FAAC allocation to the State and the Budget Support Fund including over 70% of other receivables (Excess Crude and Paris Club Reimbursement despite the Federal Government advice of 50% payment there from for salaries.
He further said that the state government has also been fulfilling its other responsibilities, commitments and functions using other resources such as IGR, Credits and Grants at its disposal to satisfy the yearnings of the people as would be expected.
Alli added that salaries and pensions of workers at the State level have been paid up till and including November 2017 with only one month salary and pension (December 2017) outstanding and by the laws setting up the tertiary institutions, Government is not responsible for the payment of salaries of workers in those institutions. In order to assist them, Government is only obliged to grant the tertiary institutions subventions which each institution would apply to whichever area of need that its Governing Council and Management may decide upon.
“The recent forensic audit reports on the tertiary institutions revealed a great deal of shortcomings such as inefficiencies, leakages, poor management, and other ineptitudes. Some institutions were even declared unsustainable and unviable. The consultant further recommended their closure. However, the recently constituted Governing Councils have been mandated to review their statuses and act suitably.
“ Contrary to Labour’s allegation, although Government on assumption of office in 2011, inherited Local Government Pension arrears totaling N4,736,741,934.49, it is on record that Government has disbursed pensions and gratuity of retired primary school teachers to the tune of N11,729,534,282.54,” Alli explained
He concluded that to avert further build up and eliminate the hardship arising there from, the Contributory Pension Scheme has been adopted as a solution to effectively address the issue.
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