By Lebi Joseph- Akure
The Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo state has said that civil servants in the state will celebrate bleak Christmas due to inability of the State government to pay their salaries.
The party said the workers of Ondo State hope of celebrating Christmas is hanging dangerously in the balance.
But the state government said the PDP will be shocked at the unworkability of its devious wish and desire for Ondo workers.
The government through a statement issued by the commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojofo said the workers in the State public service are already well acquainted with the pretentious posturing of the PDP.
He said, ” The height of pretence is this unpardonable display of amnesia on the part of a party which emplaced a government that laid off several workers with many losing their lives while it lasted, amid a huge debt profile aside a seven-month old unpaid salary burden.
Yes, there are challenges and our desire is to face the these challenges headlong with a view to charting a more robust and holistic path to surmount same.
“We will, therefore, unlike the doomsday ilk that held sway before us, rather focus on exploring means to measure up with our avowed commitment to workers welfare than dispensing the state’s commonwealth to bribe higher powers for political stability as was the case before now.”
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“This Government will ensure workers in the public service enjoy a very pleasant season. The next one week will manifest Government’s seriousness in this regard.
Workers will smile, as further deeper positive thoughts are already firmed up to ease economic challenges imposed on all of us by the global financial straits.
“Workers in the State public service are already well acquainted with the pretentious posturing of the PDP. They know too well that there could not have been a better advertisement of hypocritical vices by their immediate past tormentors.
“This party called PDP lacks the moral status to defend its former victims the current Akeredolu-led administration is striving hard to bring out of an eight-year old economic strangulation wrought on them by the viciousness of a flippant leadership”.
The PDP however through a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Perete, said the leadership of organised labour unions have lost steam and become ineffective in demanding for the rights of workers is understandable.
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The statement added, “For more than one year now, workers in Ondo State receive percentage salaries. It could be as ridiculous as 30% of their monthly salary. At the last count, only June 2021 salaries have been paid in full. That means, six months salaries are still outstanding. This is in spite of the N18.2 Billion received in tranches as bail out from the Federal Government.
“The Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) in separate bulletins sighted online, pleaded passionately with the State government to pay a minimum of two months salary on or before 18th December, 2021, to enable the workers celebrate Christmas. It added that their members should endure the harsh economic realities of the time.
“That the leadership of organised labour unions have lost steam and become ineffective in demanding for the rights of workers is understandable. What cannot be understood is their inelastic capacity to endure suffering in this manner.
The leadership of these Unions were carefully installed by Dare Aragbaiye, when he reigned as Head Of Service, of Ondo State public service. Even at the expiration of his tenure as a civil servant, Akeredolu, his kinsman from Owo, illegally extended his tenure as HoS. What qualified Aragbaiye to be appointed as Special Adviser on Union Matters and Special Duties was his role to midwife the union elections that practically incapacitated the Trade Unions in the state.
The “all powerful” Special Adviser, assumed and appropriated the duties of Permanent Secretary Governor’s Office, from his days as HoS. A duty and office he has refused to relinquish till today even as Special Adviser.
The sorrows and pains of workers in Ondo State are the worst in the South West. Neighbouring States with less revenue are doing projects and paying staff salaries. Workers in Ondo State have become butt of jokes, unable to meet the challenges of everyday existence. Some who used their salaries as collateral to collect loans from banks and cooperative societies are unable to service these loans. It has never been this bad in the state.
”For a ‘Civil Servants State’, the APC Government has abridged every opening for the people to live a meaningful life. Artisans and market women all groan under the cluelessness of the incumbent administration.
As Christmas beckons, we can only plead with Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN to wear a human face in his handling of the affairs of the state and avoid many people falling into depression as a result of government policies under his watch.”
