SAN FRANCISCO, May 26, (THEWILL) – Workers in Ekiti State have on Thursday embarked on an indefinite strike to press home the demand for the outstanding five months salaries of workers.
THEWILL recalls that the workers had issued a 48-hour-ultimatum to the Governor, Ayodele Fayose, to pay workers’ salary deductions for December 2015 or risk an industrial action.
Checks by THEWILL show that all government offices were shut as workers stayed away from work.
Reacting, Fayose, in a state broadcast on Thursday said he had no immediate solution to the demands of the workers because of the financial challenges facing the state.
“Right now, I’m helpless. It is difficult to sell myself, my family or my property. I can only depend on what I get from Abuja. I want workers to understand that it is my priority to make them comfortable,” he said.
“Even before going on their strike, I got to know that many of them no longer come to office while many others were coming late to office. Why I refused to come hard on those involved was that I had no moral justification to do so since I knew we were owing them.
“I don’t have powers to go on strike, we shall be waiting till when they come back, but they must realize that strike is not the best option
“Even in Government House, we don’t have money to power generators with diesel, whereas, I cannot sell myself or members of my family to raise funds, things are that difficult.”
Story by David Oputah
