Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has urged workers in the state to call off their strike to allow for dialogue.
The governor stated that in the meantime, the salary for local government workers is ready for payment, while the little resources that have come to the state are ready for sharing but this cannot be done because civil servants who are on strike have critical roles to play in the disbursement of the funds.
The governor noted that until the workers resume, nothing can be done.
Fayose said this on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi.
Fayose, who expressed sympathy with the striking workers and the inconveniences the current financial situation in the country is causing them, opined that the financial condition of the country might not get better soon.
While saying that the issue of irregular payment of workers was not limited to Ekiti, the governor urged the workers to note that the country was in a recession and that the state depends much on statutory allocations.
The governor said he had foreseen the current situation which made him to be transparent in the handling of finances of the state and had always put all the cards on the table for labour leaders and others to see.
“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 N1 billion 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 salary 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 situation is not limited to Ekiti State, as the country is on 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 term 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,” he added.
