From Priscilla Ediare, Ado Ekiti
Workers of the Ekiti State Tertiary Institutions under the auspices of Joint Action Committee of Subventing Institutions (JACOSIES), on Monday, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Governor Kayode Fayemi to pay N3.17 billion outstanding subventions and salaries or face an industrial dispute.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Mr Kolapo Olatunde, who is also a member of the committee, was not spared as the committee lambasted him for allegedly compromising issues relating to the welfare of workers in the state.
The institutions include Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Bamidele Olumilua University of Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti and Ekiti State College of Health, Sciences and Technology, Ijero Ekiti.
Speaking with newsmen on behalf of JACOSIES, yesterday, in Ado-Ekiti, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ekiti State University chapter, Dr Kayode Arogundade, said the ultimatum will lapse on Tuesday, December 21.
Arogundade, flanked by labour leaders from the affected institutions, pointed out areas of contention with the state government to include: “unending deceit over monthly statutory allocation, absolute abandonment of subverting institutions on the altar of political mediocrity and constant delay in the release of subventions to these institutions.
Others, according to the ASUU leader are ‘failure of government to yield to peaceful persuasion, connivance with the NLC leadership to sabotage workers’ efforts on issues of welfare and refusal to defray five months outstanding since subventions.’
Expressing deep anger on the sufferings of workers of these institutions, the ASUU boss posited that ‘succinctly put, we demand that the five months subventions due to all subverting institutions in Ekiti State, amounting to a sum of N3,172,500 be released within 24 hours.’
He expressed sadness that many of their members had suffered death and sickness owing to inabilities to pay their salaries and other statutory benefits due to them.
Arogundade threatened ‘any failure on the part of the government to accede to this demand will no doubt lead to the declaration of an unprecedented industrial dispute with the state government and at that stage, we should not be blamed for the forms it may take as well as the consequential effects of such action on our institutions.
‘We consider the unilateral slashing of subventions to Ekiti institutions by Governor Fayemi without consulting the leadership of the institutions over issues of dwindling finances as undemocratic.
‘The monthly allocations to our darling state has since been on the increase. Notwithstanding also the recent N3 billion monthly bailout being granted to the state, which of course is expected to last for six months and cumulated to N18 billion, the governor has refused to fulfil his promises to these institutions in Ekiti.’
Arogundade appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders and other well-meaning indigenes of the state to swiftly intervene in the impending impasse, to persuade the governor to change his mindset about poor funding of subventing institutions and prevent their total collapse.
Accusing NLC under the leadership of Kolapo Olatunde of laxity and ineptitude, the ASUU boss posited that ‘the recent romance between the NLC and state government is suspect.
‘The NLC in Ekiti is fond of unrepentantly suppressing the truth and alienating the leaderships of the subventing institutions from Union activities.’
The agitators were from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Bamidele Olumilua University of Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti and Ekiti State College of Health, Sciences and Technology, Ijero Ekiti.