Oyo govt calls labour to a roundtable, says only 2 months’ deductions owed

The Oyo State Government has rallied the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to a roundtable discussion on the issue of salary deductions, stating that it owes two months deductions not six months claimed by the labour unions.

The statement by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Dotun Oyelade comes in the heels of Monday’s protest at the State Secretariat by the labour centres.

Oyelade in the statement argued that every state in the country owes workers salary deductions, describing the two months owed by Oyo State as the least.

Rather than protest, Oyelade argued that the present government deserved a pat on the back having even paid July salaries while some states had arrears of salaries.

While noting workers’ right to access their wages, Oyelade said it was expedient for the labour centres to come to the negotiating table and together with the government chart a realistic path in balancing attending to the welfare of workers.

He further enjoined workers to resume at their duty posts.

The statement read: “The Oyo State Government calls on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to discuss the issue of salary deductions exhaustively, before embarking on any form of protest. Only two months and not six months are owed to workers.

“Every State in the federation owes workers salary deductions and the two months owed by Oyo State is the least.

“The NLC had shown over the years that they are in support of the present administration because of good governance and should reflect on the disposition of government to workers’ welfare.

“While the July salaries have been paid in Oyo State, not less than 20 states including Ondo, Plateau, Benue and Bayelsa are owing several months of salaries in arrears, while several more including neighbouring states are owing months of deduction arrears.

“Oyo State Government started the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage three years ago, yet up till now many states are still struggling to pay the old wage.

‘While it is the right and entitlement of our workers to access their wages, especially at this tough times, Government implores them to reflect on the sincerity of purpose of this administration.

“Despite the challenges of paying wages, over 2,000 civil servants have been promoted, while almost 1,000 others have been converted to regular service.

For the records, Oyo State pays N7.3bn monthly as salaries, yet collects N5bn as Federal Allocation.

“Because of this, all the N2.8bn raked in as Internally Generated Revenue IGR are ploughed back literally to service salaries.

“Government deserves a pat on the back, if in spite of this tightrope the government still embarks on such magnitude of infrastructural projects, that even the NLC has applauded numerously.

“Eminent pundits, including the current Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki have predicted that no state will be able to pay salaries by the end of June this year because of the worsening shape of the economy but Oyo State due to the deft husbanding of the state resources by Gov Seyi Makinde has defied the doomsday prediction.

“This is why the State Government is confident that the NLC will come to the negotiating table and together with Government chart a realistic path in balancing the welfare of the workers to which Government is obviously committed and the unpleasant economic indices that stare all of us in the face.

“Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government urges workers to resume at their duty-posts, and continue the good work they are known for.”

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