Following the release of six months withheld allocation of Osun Local Government Areas (LGAs), council workers, who have been on strike since February, have fixed Monday for resumption.
The Nation recalls that the workers have stayed off duty since February, as elected council chairmen of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were laying claim to the control of the secretariat, following the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
The development led to Federal Government withholding the allocation to the councils. Offices of the Minister of Finance, Attorney-General of the Federation, Accountant General and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recognised the APC reinstated chairmen, directing them to open accounts for the 30 councils, to which the allocation was later released.
Amid the development, council workers under the auspices of Association of Concerned Local Government Workers of Osun State, led by Comrade Adedayo Adekunle, addressing reporters alongside scores of council workers across the state in Osogbo yesterday, said they were ready to resume on October 6.
He described the strike earlier declared by the leadership of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) as needless, ”because the seven months strike has resulted in the death of our colleagues.”
He said: ‘This is best time for autonomy, but some disgruntled elements under the disguise of comrades are working against it. The excuse of insecurity given for strike is not tenable; we are landlords of the council secretariat. The ongoing legal actions should not make us to abscond from our duty posts, yet receiving salary from the state government. The strike is unwarranted.’
Adekunle said workers, who failed to resume duty, risked degradation and job loss, ”as the reinstated chairmen of APC may conduct staff auditing after their resumption on Monday, to ascertain the actual workers before paying them salary forthwith.”
He urged the reinstated chairmen to prioritise the welfare of council workers, noting that the union would continue to fight for the right of its members any day and time despite resumption.
NULGE, through the state Publicity Secretary, David Owoeye, in a statement, kicked against the planned resumption of workers, saying: ‘We have not ordered any worker to resume duty. Our safety is paramount.’