After two weeks of hostility, Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Ogun State workers, on Wednesday, resolved their differences.
The governor tendered unreserved apology on behalf of people of the state “for putting the state in the media for wrong reasons” and the workers called off their strike.
In a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed after the
meeting, the state government agreed to pay global deductions with November, 2016 salary and release global deductions every 90 days and as soon as bullet payment is received from the Federal Government and the state revenue improves, outstanding deduction shall be paid on or before May, 2017 and outstanding gratuities to be offset with N200 million every other month, effective from November, 2016.
The meeting between the state government and labour leaders at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, leading to an eight-point agreement, lasted for about eight hours.
The MoU was signed by the Head of Service, Sola Adeyemi, and Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Establishments and Training, Mrs M.T.O. Dosunmu, on behalf of government while the chairman of Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Abiodun Olakanmi, state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Akeem Ambali, and state chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bunmi Fajobi, signed on behalf of workers.
NLC National President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, President-General of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, National President of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Comrade Kiri Mohammed; National President of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Khaleel Ibrahim; and National President of NANNM, Comrade AbdulRafiu Adeniji, were observers at the meeting.
But, the meeting failed to conclusively resolve the issue of 16 sacked workers, including Ambali, as Amosun declared that he was “still very infuriated” over the alleged mixing of civil service with politics.
Amosun had on Monday dismissed the 16 workers and suspended 19 others over alleged misconduct, following the recommendations of the report of an administrative panel of inquiry.
The development had provoked wide outrage even as the state government insisted that the decision was not connected to the industrial dispute.
After the meeting, Amosun insisted that no administration had massaged the ego of civil servants more than his in the history of the state but warned that he would not tolerate any attempt to play politics with workers’ struggle.
Amosun promised to implement the agreement reached with labour, even as he decried the dwindling federal allocation to the state.
He said: “I make bold to say that Ogun State civil service is the best in Nigeria. We have shown them our books. It’s not our creation. Nobody knows we will find ourselves here.
“But clearly, we should not mix civil service with politics. That is where I feel so very infuriated and I still do.”
The governor, who failed to categorically comment on reinstatement of the dismissed workers, stated that the sacking and strike were two clear issues.
Reading the content of the MoU, Olakanmi said the meeting agreed that the strike action be suspended and no worker will be victimised on account of the strike.
The JNC Chairman said the meeting also agreed on immediate offset of one year arrears of check-off dues and immediate release of 2015 promotion result.
The MoU partly reads: “That the state government should pay global deductions with November, 2016 salary and release global deductions every 90 days and as soon as bullet payment is received from the Federal Government and the state revenue improves, outstanding deduction shall be paid on or before May, 2017.
“Outstanding gratuities to be offset with N200million every other month effective from November, 2016.
“A Joint Committee for both government and labour should be set up to look at issues of the Contributory Pension Scheme and submit the report to the government within 90 days.
“A Joint Committee on both government and labour should be set up to look into the issues of the officers that have completed loan payments and whose money are still being deducted. Also officers that have completed loan repayment should be allowed to exit from the cooperative societies.
“Towards promoting industrial harmony, there should be instituted a quarterly meeting between the government and labour.”
After the meeting ended, the labour leaders proceeded to the state secretariat of NLC where workers had gathered since morning and announced the suspension of the strike.
After the announcement, there was wild jubilation.
