Oyo State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday said that the outgoing government in the state still has the right to open discussion with labour unions in the state.
The party said that it is only an irresponsible state government that will disobey the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari and as well turn down the request of its workforce.
APC, in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Dr. Abdulazeez Olatunde, maintained that the organised labour in the state – the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress and Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), Oyo State Council, wrote a letter dated April 24, 2019 with reference nos NLC/TUC/JNC/OY/ADM/13, requesting for immediate implementation of the New National Minimum wage in Oyo State with effect from the April 2019 salary.
Olatunde disclosed that the leadership of the unions initiated the discussion with the Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration.
He stated that it is an unfortunate display of lack of understanding of governance for the governor-elect’s spokesperson, Mr. Dotun Oyelade to insinuate that the administration of Governor Ajimobi would set a booby trap for the incoming administration, stressing that Oyelade is being haunted by the landmines set for the Governor Ajimobi administration by the government he (Oyelade) served between 2007 and 2011.
Olatunde said, “Media houses in the state especially Fresh FM should always follow the principles of ethical journalism by cross-checking facts before broadcasting or going to press. Fresh FM analyst on Monday 29th during the newspaper review programme “Freshly Pressed” made a categorical statement to mislead the general public that the organized labour did not write a letter to the government and that the Ajimobi administration never paid salaries on the 25th or 26th of any month.”
The APC spokesman said that the continuous display of “unprofessional conduct” of Fresh FM is unbecoming and indecorous of any credible news medium, appealing to the media house to stop feeding the general public falsehood as the assertions of the analyst are patently false.
He said that the assumption of Oyelade and his cohorts was wrong, stating that the in-coming government is at liberty to discontinue the discussion after its assumption of office as the present administration has not agreed with the labour on the modalities of implementing the new minimum wage.
Olatunde revealed that in the jointly signed letter by Comrades Kofo Ogundeji, Secretary NLC, Mayowa Falegbe, Secretary TUC and Kolawole Eniola, JNC Vice Chairman, to Governor Ajimobi, the organised labour had requested for implementation on the new minimum wage for the April 2019 salary and requested that the Governor acknowledges their letter and take quick action on their request.
He disclosed that the labour claimed that its resolution for the Governor to put all machinery into action for the immediate implementation of the New National Minimum wage was made at its emergency meeting held on Tuesday, April 23, 2019.
Olatunde appealed to the incoming administration to stop crying wolf when there is none, emphasising that government is a continuum and no state government will disregard or ignore a bill assented to law by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria moreover when it is stipulated for immediate implementation.
He said, “Governor Ajimobi has only acted responsibly towards the new law by the President of the country and the follow up request by the organized labour. The Governor’s high sense of fairness and politics without bitterness will not allow him to engage in setting booby traps.
“He recently demonstrated this with the unprecedented inauguration of the joint transition committee, which is the first in the history of the state. We urge the in – coming government to stop crying wolf and prepare for the serious act of governance which is more tasking than rabble rousing.”
