The N20 billion Paris Club refund received by the Ondo state government from the Federal Government has continued to generate friction between workers in the state and the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led government.
According to the workers, who wrote a letter to the Governor, through the Organised Labour in the state, the state government was not being sincere with the refund.
In the letter, the workers admonished the Governor on the need to expend the Paris Club refund for the agreed purpose of paying the backlog of workers’ salary.
With an ultimatum given to the Governor, the workers in the letter addressed to Akeredolu, gave him up till 12 noon on Tuesday 13th November 2018 to clear the salary arrears.
The letter obtained by DAILY POST was signed by the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Tayo Ogunleye, his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Soladoye Ekundayo, as well as the Chairman, Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, in the state, Abel Oloniyo.
Also in the letter, the workers accused Governor Akeredolu of reneging on his earlier agreement with the labour unions to further consult them as regards the Paris Club refund.
They threatened to reactivate the warning strike that was suspended in June 2016 if the government failed to pay the outstanding salaries on Tuesday.
The letter reads in parts, “We believe that negotiation and agreement with labour was the key criteria of how the fund was released despite that the fund has been released to the state without consulting labour.
“We humbly refer your Excellency to the agreement between labour and the state government before the suspension of our industrial action of 30th June 2016.
“Furthermore, we want to draw the attention of His Excellency to the recommendations of a committee on payment of 6-month arrears of salary to Ondo state workers set up by the state government that was submitted to your Excellency in May 2017.
“We also hold that the said agreement subsist between labour and the government of Ondo state irrespective of who mount the mantle of leadership particular when the State Head of Service remain the signatory to both the agreement and the committee report.
“In view of the above, we call on the government to please pay in line with out agreement as analyzed in our letter under reference on or before 12 noon Tuesday 13th of November, 2018.
“Failure on the part of government to accede to our request may not not be able to guarantee industrial peace by resuming our suspended strike of 30th June, 2016,” the letter read.
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