Ekiti State Government has reaffirmed that it would continue to attach utmost priority to the welfare of its workers.
The government which described the workers as partners in its giant strides to move the state forward, applauded the continued support of the workers who resisted the temptation by some misguided people to plunge the state into industrial impasse.
It maintained that plots to precipitate a contrived industrial crisis in Ekiti State will not succeed as workers in the state will always get what is due to them.
In a statement on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Mr. Apalara Wole-Adewumi the state government regretted that despite the agreement reached with the state chapter of NULGE on the payment of Minimum wage to council workers, a section of the workers went ahead to stage a protest.
Adewumi expressed dismay that a section of NULGE members has succumbed to cheap blackmail by allowing themselves to be used by some disgruntled politicians to disturb the existing peace in the state under the leadership of Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
The commissioner warned the leadership of NULGE to stop any further protest as “Government cannot be intimidated through any acts that could lead to the breach of public peace.”
He said: “It is on record that Government had agreed to pay N19,000 minimum wage to Local Government Employees and the agreement was about to be signed when a false accusation emanating from NULGE’s letter against the Governor was published to the effect that a sum of N1 billion was being deducted illegally from the Local Government funds.
“NULGE is equally aware that the financial implication of the new wage has not been determined before the union issued the notice for 3-day ultimatum.
“It is also on record that the leadership of NULGE and Government representatives agreed on a meeting slated for 1pm on Tuesday 11th September, 2012 following the notice of three-day ultimatum but the union backed out of the meeting even without notice.
“In spite of this unfortunate development, the Government is still ready to accede to the legitimate requests of NULGE but the Union should make itself available for further negotiations.
“In addition, the Union should also go further to disclaim its controversial letter where it falsely accused the Government of Ekiti State of illegal deduction of Local Government funds”.
Last modified: September 12, 2012