Salary arrears: Oyo tuc sends sos to Buhari

In an SOS letter, the Oyo State chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, to assist Oyo State in clearing its backlog of outstanding salaries and pensions.

The union delivered this letter in a protest to state Secretariat, Ibadan, on Monday.

Acting Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC) Oyo State, Mr Emelieze Andrew, in his address decried that workers were subjected to harsh economic conditions made worse by nonpayment of salaries and pensions arrears, promotion arrears and allowances.

The letter partly read, “Our living condition as workers is daily becoming horrifying as we face sufficient torment and torture due to the nonpayment of our salaries in the state civil service in the last seven months. Our people are daily dying due to state induced penury and preventable deaths. Our families are in disarray. As a matter of fact, life is no longer pleasant.

“Your Excellency sir, we can no longer cope with this situation. Our hearts are broken and everything is becoming nauseating, especially in the light of the harsh economic conditions facing us as a country. It is to this end that we passionately appeal to your good heart in looking at our predicaments to assist our state government in paying the workers’ backlog of salaries, gratuities and pension.”

Head of Service, Mr Soji Eniade, received the letter for onward delivery to President Buhari, assuring that the state government was not unconcerned about the plight of workers in the state.

“Oyo State government is not unconcerned with the plight of workers in the state. It might appear to be so but that is not the situation. The process of engaging the labour to resolve this issue will start on Tuesday and I am sure that by the end of this week, a lasting solution will be found,” Eniade said.