Oyo State Workers Protest, Lock State Secretariat, and Demand Palliatives, Pension Allowance Increase, and Salary Payment
Oyo State workers have began a protest in Ibadan by locking the state secretariat, calling for various demands.
Organized by unions including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), and Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), the workers are demanding palliatives, an upward revision of pension allowances, and the payment of salary deductions.
The protesters also sought payment of leave bonuses, gratuities for retirees stagnated since 2021, and the release of promotion letters for the years 2021 and 2022. The union leaders insisted on addressing their demands directly with Governor Seyi Makinde, without any government officials.
Chairman of Oyo TUC, Mr. Bosun Olabiyi, expressed concern over the state government withholding over six months of deductions from workers’ salaries, meant for cooperatives, housing, union dues, and other purposes. He also highlighted the difficult situation of pensioners, with some receiving only N300 per month, unchanged since 2007 despite previous agreements.
Mr. Kayode Martins, Oyo NLC Chairman, emphasized the workers’ need to communicate directly with Governor Makinde to avoid misrepresentations of their demands and maintain a harmonious relationship with the government.
Chairman of Oyo NUP, Mr. Segun Abatan, listed the pensioners’ requests, including a review of pensions last done in 2007 and the clearing of pension arrears dating back to 2014. The pensioners sought a fair review to address their financial challenges.
The protesters await Governor Makinde’s response and plan their next course of action should their concerns not be addressed directly.