•Shun gov’s mercy plea, demand 5 months salaries
From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Striking workers in Ondo, yesterday, blocked the main gate leading to the Government House and effectively prevented Governor Olusegun Mimiko from accessing his office.
The workers commenced a peaceful strike to protest non-payment of five months salaries.
The aggrieved workers blocked all roads leading to the Government House located at Alagbaka area of Akure and called on traditional rulers and religious leaders in the state to prevail on Mimiko to pay their salaries.
When the governor got to the main gate, yesterday morning, workers forced him to alight from his official vehicle to address them. Initially, they shouted at the governor and urged him to pay their salaries.
But Mimiko pleaded with the workers to suspend the industrial action in the interest of the state and stressed that government does not have enough resources to pay outstanding salaries, hence the current situation they are going through.
The governor, who spoke for almost two hours, appealed to the workers to bear with government and promised that the situation will improve as soon as the economic situation of the state improves.
But, Mimiko’s pleas fell on deaf ears as the workers insisted the strike will continue until government pays at least two months salary arrears.
The workers trooped out the major streets of Akure, the state capital, marched round the streets carrying placards with various anti-government inscriptions.
The workers also chanted many solidarity songs to call the attention of members of the public to their plight.
State Chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Mr. Sunday Adeleye who led the protest, called the attention of the state government to the unwholesome situation of workers in the state and disclosed that many workers in the state now live in hunger.