NULGE strike paralyses Ogun State Local Govt

Activities were on Wednesday paralysed at the secretariats of the 20 local government areas in Ogun State as council workers embarked on an indefinite strike over alleged backlog of unpaid salaries, leave allowances and pensions.

Protesting workers locked out officials of the councils, including the LG chairmen and councillors.

Our correspondent observed that the angry workers were sitting outside the locked gates discussing the action in groups in Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode, Odeda, Ifo, Sagamu and Ijebu Ode.

The situation was the same in Yewa South, Yewa North, Ijebu East, Ijebu North East and Ijebu Waterside.

State President of NULGE, Mr. Tajudeen Olusesi, told newsmen at the end of the union’s State Executive Council meeting that the workers had no other alternative but to embark on the indefinite strike following the failure of the state government to honour earlier agreements with the union on the matter.

Olusesi said NULGE took its time to explore all avenues for an amicable resolution of its grievances concerning its demands from the state.

The NULGE president however expressed regret that the union had to embark on the action because it discovered that the government seemed not interested in addressing the plight of the workers.

Olusesi said, “Despite the agreement we entered into with the representatives of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria in the state in October 2012, we observe with dismay that nothing has changed for better in our various local government.

“Our members’ welfare continues to dwindle; salaries are not being paid as and when due as promised and when they eventually pay, it is always net salaries, leaving out all deductions such as pensions, cooperatives and check-off dues unpaid.”

Olusesi also decried the poor financial state of the councils, alleging that all of them were being run on “overdraft” from banks due to what he described as “negative allocation” from the state government.

Reacting, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Muyiwa Oladipo, said the council workers had the right to embark on the strike.

Oladipo however said the government would within the next 24 hours address the issues raised by the workers.

“Strike is a veritable tool. It is the right of every worker who feels aggrieved for one reason or the other. But the issue is being addressed by the government. Within the next 24 hours, I believe strongly the whole state would hear some news,” he said.