May Day: Oyo govt shuns labour, absent at rally

THERE seems to be no end in sight to the crisis between civil servants in Oyo State and the state government, as members of the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) waited endlessly to receive the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, at the mainbowl of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, on Tuesday.At the rally, organised to mark the 2012 Workers' Day, neither the governor nor his representative showed up at the event, making it the first time in history of the state, when workers would celebrate the May Day without the representative of the government in attendance.Also, the labour union in the state had been factionalised, as the Trade Union Congress (TUC) stayed away from the venue of the event.The chairman of the state council of the TUC, Comrade Bayo Ajayi, in a telephone chat with the Nigerian Tribune, said the TUC held its rally at Yemetu area of Ibadan.The state Head of Service, Alhaji Tajudeen Aremu, who took salute alongside the state NLC chairman, Bashir Olanrewaju, cleared the air on the insinuation that he was sent by the governor to represent him, saying that he was at the event in his personal capacity.In his speech, Alhaji Aremu, who saluted the courage of the past and present labour leaders for their commitment to the welfare of their members, admonished the workers to shun any act capable of causing disintegration in the state.He also called on the labour leaders to continue to support the present administration in its onerous task of improving the welfare of the workers, through adequate and prompt payment of salaries and other emoluments.
Click here to read full news..