By; Bayo Akamo, Ibadan.
Oyo state Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Kofo Ogundeji on Tuesday said Oyo state government is yet to invite the union for any dialogue over the on going industrial action in the state.
Comrade Ogundeji dropped this hint while featuring on a Fresh FM Yoruba interview programme “Dende Oro” monitored by the New Nigerian.
The NLC Secretary declared that in as much as the union leaders are always ready for dialogue being the best way of resolving issue, any invitation for such a dialogue ought to be through a proper channel.
Comrade Ogundeji stressed that NLC leaders like other people in the state are just hearing Governor Abiola Ajimobi saying on some radio stations in the state including Fresh FM that the labour leaders have being invited for dialogue whereas there was nothing of such.
According to the Oyo NLC Secretary, it was only the state House of Assembly that has invited the union leaders for dialogue today (Wednesday) and that the NLC are ready to honour it as lovers of peace.
Responding to the possibility of Oyo state government enforcing “no work, no pay rule” threat by Governor Ajimobi, should the NLC refused to call of the strike by Tuesday (yesterday), the Secretary said there is no going back on the industrial action until the state government is ready to meet the NLC demands particularly the payment of workers salaries from January to May this year.
On the planned private partnership of public secondary schools in the state, the Oyo NLC scribe declared that the union was ready to resist the policy in the interest of the poor masses in and across the state who will be seriously affected by the policy.
The NLC Secretary however cautioned against unnecessary ego festering and reckless talks from the government and the labour leaders on the industrial crisis, saying such will continue to fuel the crisis rather than solving it.
However, members of the state chapter of the National Union of Road and Transport Workers (NURTW) staged a peaceful rally to the state secretariat in Agodi carrying various placards with inscription of ‘no to violence in Oyo state’.
Addressing the NURTW members, Governor, Abiola Ajimobi declared that his administration would continue to ensure peaceful coexistence in the state despite the current tension between Labour and the state government.
Governor Ajimobi pointed out that rather than violence, any aggrieved party in the state should embrace dialogue adding that his administration would not compromise qualitative education in the state.
