Please call off the strike - Governor tells workers

chika ebuzor

June 1, 2016 9:01 PM

Fayose sympathised with the workers, saying he knows they are going through hard times.

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state

He said the salaries of some category of workers are ready, but the payments cannot be processed because of the strike.

The workers are protesting the non-payment of their salaries for 10 months.

Fayose said “I have not hidden anything from the labour leaders and what our dear state is experiencing now has been aggravated by th‎e mindless borrowings of the immediate past administration in the state.

“The state is paying about N1bn monthly to service the bond and the commercial loans they took. If that did not happen, we would have had such money to add to our monthly allocations.

“During my first term in office, I was paying salaries regularly and on the 22nd of every month and workers never went on strike. I sympathise with the workers and regret the inconveniences the current financial situation in the country is causing them.”

The Governor also invited the striking workers to dialogue with the government.

He also added that “The situation is not limited to Ekiti State, as the country is on a recession. All these I have foreseen that made me open the finances of the state to all and run an all inclusive financial management.

“Regrettably, it is difficult to give what you don’t have. It is in the interest of the state that the workers need to come to terms with the reality on the dwindling allocations coming to the state because even two months allocations can no longer pay one month salary.

“I implore workers and their leaders to note that even the recent nationwide strike called over fuel price increase was called off for the two sides to go into negotiation and dialogue.”

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chika ebuzor