On Monday, the organised labour in Oyo State civil service staged a peaceful protest over non-payment of salary deductions, leave bonuses and upward review of pension allowances.

The workers, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), protested at the state secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

Hundreds of the workers led by the union leaders arrived at the secretariat at 7:45 a.m., blocked the gate and obstructed human and vehicular movement in and out of the place.

The TUC chairman in the state, Bosun Olabiyi, said the workers also demanded the payment of gratuities to retirees who had stagnated since 2021.

According to him, the union members want the release of promotion letters for 2021 and 2022 and palliatives for workers following the fuel subsidy removal.

He said the workers demanded Governor Seyi Makinde meet and address all issues raised before they could open the secretariat gates.

In his address, the NLC chairman in the state, Martins Kayode, said the protest followed the failure of the state government to address the myriad demands of workers.

“The unions have issued an ultimatum to the government to heed 14 issues in contention which includes payment of gratuities to retirees of state and local government between 2014 and 2012 for state and local government retirees.

“The remittance of deductions from workers’ salaries, full implementation of the minimum wage and implementation of promotion arrears should be addressed without delay,’’ he said.

Also, Segun Abatan, NUP chairman, called for the reinstatement of pensioners wrongfully removed from payroll and a review of pension allowances.

He said the pensioners were receiving an amount he described as “ridiculous, ” which should have been reviewed by the state government.

Mr Abatan urged the governor to meet and discuss all welfare issues with pensioners.

In his reaction, Titilola Sodo, the special adviser to the governor on labour matters, implored the union leaders to embrace alternative avenues to dialogue with the government on the issues at hand.

Ms Sodo, however, said most of the workers’ demands had been met.

No government official came out to address the workers as of 12:10 p.m.

(NAN)