Ondo Government Pays six months salary arrears to avert strike action

TO avert industrial action, the Ondo state government has paid six out of the seven-month salary arrears owed civil servants by the immediate past administration.

The organized labour including Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) have asked governor Rotimi Akeredolu to pay all the salary arrears of the workers from the N20b Paris Club refund given to the state or they down tools.
The Chairman of state NLC, Tayo Ogunleye said weekend that “the state government has paid six out of the seven-month salary arrears with the promise to pay the remaining one month before the end of January.

Ogunleye denied that the leadership of the organized labour had compromised on the strike action but only negotiated with the government on the welfare of workers.
He said the government should not be waiting for an ultimatum from the labour unions before they yield to the demand of labour in the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to Akeredolu, Segun Ajiboye who confirmed the payment of salary arrears and the withdrawal of the ultimatum said the governor at inception on 24th February 2017, inherited seven months’ salary arrears of workers in the State.
Ajiboye said “Akeredolu has vowed to clear the arrears and prioritize the welfare of workers. Today, he has kept to the promise, he has paid six months arrears out the seven months inherited in less than two years in office.

“The governor does not view the payment of salary as achievement, rather he sees it as a duty and responsibility of government.
” But for record purposes, Akeredolu inherited arrears of August 2016 -February 2017. Only arrears of December 2016 is yet to be paid.
Ajiboye said “By the end of this year, workers in Ondo State would have collected salary for fifteen months -twelve in the year and three arrears of past years.”