The director general, media and publicity to the Governor, Kingsley Fanwo, urged workers to continue to go to their work places in order to serve the people of the state.
He said, “Labour leaders in the state have been attempting to denigrate the integrity of the state government by creating the impression of non-payment of salaries despite government’s decision to publish all the payments to civil servants in the state in various media.
Fanwo said, “We urge the organised Labour to rescind their decision and call off the strike in the interest of the good people of the state.
“Kogi State government is owing August salary as well as half of July which will be paid as soon as possible. It is our desire that labour embraces industrial peace and resist the temptation of throwing the state into tension.
“We frown at the forceful execution of the strike and urge labour leaders to reconsider their stance instead of attacking workers who intend to earn their pay. The refusal of many civil servants to heed the call for strike is enough incentive to reverse the unpopular decision.”
Fanwo said government would remain committed to the welfare of civil servants in the state, insisting that “those who work will be paid their salaries.”
“The impression they want to create about Kogi is fake, false and misleading. It is a political attempt at distracting government from its lofty initiatives of developing the state.
“We will remain unfazed in combating corruption in the state. Inducing Labour to destabilise the state will not save those who blindly stole from our commonwealth from returning their loot.
“We have been paying workers salaries and shall continue to do so. Labour should reciprocate our gesture by acting with patriotism. Those pushing labour to battle with government have no interest of our state at heart.”
He said government would now apply relevant laws to “stabilise the system and ensure the state enjoys industrial peace.”
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