The All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogun state chapter, has assured that the state government remains labour-friendly, despite the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the workers in the state.
The party, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary in the state, Mr. Sola Lawal , insisted that the current government- labour face-off was the “handiwork of instigators outside the labour circle for purely political reasons.”
The party further pointed out that no worker in the state has been sacked on account of participation in the strike, insisting that “the state Civil Service Commission only exercised its statutory responsibility of keeping the service sane and insulated against the vagaries of politics by dropping workers, who clearly engaged in unwarranted politicking, hiding under the covers of Teachers Day celebration.
“In the 65 months of the Amosun administration in Ogun state, no salary of workers has been owed for a single month, in spite of the nation’s economic downturn, while pension and other allowances have been promptly settled during the period.
“The contentious deductions has also been religiously paid, such that only less than ten months arrears are being owed and payment of which the administration has consistently pledged.
“An administration, which has been in the saddle for 65 months with 100 percent clean record of salary payment as at when due, parading also an unblemished allowances and pension payment, capping them all with prompt discharge of its obligation in the area of deduction clearance except for backlog of less than 10 months in a recession , deserves commendation , not quarrel.
“Undoubtedly , the nation’s economic situation and the consequent hardship imposed on the citizens is akin to the proverbial mosquito that perched on the most delicate of human anatomy therefore deserving a tactical dislodgment if collateral damage is to be avoided”, the party averred.
It also stated that the Amosun administration is always ready to meet the labour for peaceful resolution of the impasse, adding that labour, on its part, should embrace constructive engagement with government, so that the hitherto air of camaraderie existing between the two, which had provoked envy of distractors can be re-established.
Meanwhile, current information at our disposal has it that after about a 10-hour meeting today between the government and labour leaders, the strike has been called off.