The Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Jumoke Akindele, on Wednesday said the House had no knowledge of how the state finances were being managed.
Akindele stated this at a meeting organised by the Assembly to resolve the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Labour Union in the State.
For two weeks, workers in the State have embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of their five months salaries.
The Speaker, who was responding to an allegation raised by the labour leaders that the state government has money in several accounts operated by the government, said she was not aware that the government has many accountS.
Akindele said “It is not our responsibility to know how many accounts Ondo government operates.
“Due to this, we don’t know the state of Ondo State finance but you union leaders can help us with the list.”
She, however, appealed to workers to allow fresh negotiation to commence in order to end the two-week- old industrial action.
Akindele noted that the House was aware of the plight of the workers for the non-payment of their five months salaries.
“We are deeply concerned by the situation on ground but we should look for ways out of the ugly situation and forge ahead, “she said.
The speaker, who asked the labour leaders to purge themselves of their grievances, said that the House would come out with resolutions by striking a balance.
According to her, it was the initiative of the House to intervene and find a lasting solution to the feud between the workers and the state government.
She, therefore, promised to advise the government to gather all the monies in all the banks and see if it would be enough to pay the workers.
Earlier, Mr Sunday Adeleye, Chairman Joint Negotiations Council (JNC), thanked the assembly leadership for its intervention but said that the meeting was belated.
Adeleye frowned at the protracted delay of salary payment, saying salary was the only means of survival for the workers.
He added that the non-payment of the salaries had rendered the state redundant because it is a civil service state.
The JNC chairman asked the state government to put a stop to all capital projects and pay workers’ salaries.
“No matter the capital projects, they will not put food on the tables of workers and what we are asking for is reward for services rendered.
“I must inform you that there is high level of hunger in our society and if we are not careful, there may be civil uprising which will not be palatable, ” Adeleye warned.
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