Kehinde Adewole, Ado Ekiti
The organised labour in Ekiti State has written to Governor Kayode Fayemi to express its disillusionment and outright disapproval over what it called “arbitrary sack of its members”.
The labour unions added that most disturbing was the rumour making the rounds that the ongoing disengagement which had affected the Ekiti State University (EKSU) and Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) would spread across all government’s tertiary institutions, ministries, departments and agencies.
The Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Ekiti Chapter, Comrade Sola Adigun, said that labour deemed the letter highly expedient, owing to insinuation that Governor Fayemi was not aware of the mass sack in EKSU and EKSUTH.
A total of 1,200 workers were sacked in December, by the two institutions.
The letter dated January 3, 2020 and addressed to Fayemi, was jointly signed by the Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo, his counterpart in Trade Union Congress, Comrade Taiwo Akinyemi and Joint Negotiating Council’s Scribe, Comrade Kuloogun Lawrence.
The letter said that the leadership of the organized labour was constrained to bring to the governor’s notice about the recent happenings at EKSUTH, which revolves around sacking of 200 members of staff of the health institution.
“It is informative to bring to the notice of your esteemed office that the recent sacking scenario happenings around various sectors is not only worrisome, but also called for serious attention because of the image that the developments is attracting to our dear state, as well as the government of the day.
“For instance, information at the disposal of Organized Labour leadership, as well as in the public domain indicated that those that were sacked, disengaged or compulsorily retired did not follow due process.
“Also, it is very disheartening to inform Your Excellency that some workers that have four, three and two years were caught up in the web of this ugly development which is not in the best interest of entire workforce and generality of Ekitis.
“It is beyond our comprehension that one Mr Femi Adeleye Daniel, a staff in the Porter Departmental of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) was allegedly given compulsory retirement, vide a letter with reference EKSUTH/A/982 dated 24th December 2019, because of his involvement in the mobilization of workers for workers’ congress meeting held at the Teaching Hospital premises”.
It added that flowing from the above, the organized labour is seriously concerned with information making the rounds that the current sacking, compulsory and untimely retirement of workers, is a whirlwind that would soon blow across the entire workforce in the state.
“We don’t want to believe the rumours peddling around that the state government wants to have mass disengagement of workers that have two or three more years in the public service of Ekiti State.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that some workers who were unjustly dismissed/retired by the past administration were reinstated by your administration which further buttressed your good dispositions not only to workers, but also to humanity; rather, it will be irony of life that similar things are now happening under your administration”.