The Chairman of the Ogun State chapter of the National Labor Congress (NLC), Ambali Olatunji, has alleged that union leaders in the state were all hiding in different parts of Nigeria for fear of being attacked by the state government. He added that the state government had employed every form of victimization and oppression since state workers began a strike.
In an interview with Saharareporters, Mr. Olatunji claimed that security agents had been instructed to shoot him. He said he narrowly escaped an attack during an interview at Family FM radio station in Abeokuta.
“We have heard utterances that if they are able to get comrade Ambali, they should shoot him. That is why union leaders are in different hideouts,” he said. He disclosed that the state government had hijacked the NLC secretariat in Abeokuta, using armed policemen to bar entrance into the building. He added that some union leaders and their members were picked up and beaten by thugs perceived to be instruments of the state government. He said these violent attacks forced prominent labor leaders to hide for safety as the industrial action continues.
“Armed policemen have taken over NLC secretariat in Abeokuta. Union leaders were attacked and beaten mercilessly for wearing union attire. Comrade Tenko Olaniran, chairman of Agric. Workers Union was beaten seriously. The government employed thugs to beat up other union workers,” he said.
According to the labor leader, “Thugs covered the plate numbers [of cars] used to perpetuate their evil acts, but we luckily got a glimpse of one plate number—LMD555BD. Also when I was to grant a radio interview, their tugs trailed me to the radio station and occupied the radio station, I had to announce it and run for my dear life”.
He said that the strike was a consequence of the state government’s negligence and hostility toward labor unions and their affairs, adding that the Ogun State government had taken many arbitrary decisions to the detriment of its workers. He deplored the government’s disregard for the provisions of the constitution.
The labor leader said retirees in the state had not been paid their gratuity since 2012, adding that the issue was part of the barrage of problems that led to various negotiations and an agreement for the payment of the entitlement. He accused the state of refusing to implement the agreement.
He stated: “This current industrial action is a follow-up to several industrial disputes in Ogun State. The issue started in 2014 and by 2015 we were to go on strike but we postponed. Several allowances and bonuses were deducted from workers’ salary and were misappropriated by the government. The Ogun state government violated Nigeria’s pension laws by diverting pension funds deducted from workers’ salaries. Today, we have unpaid pensions that were not sent to the pension administrator for three good years. This speaks volumes about the ugly reality of the retirement life of Ogun State workers.”
According to the labor leader, in March of this year, traditional leaders had persuaded the union to call off its 10-day strike and promised to fulfill the content of the signed agreement. However, up until a few hours to the 21-day ultimatum given before the commencement of the current industrial action, the state had not said anything about the implementation.
Mr. Olatunji accused the state government of unilaterally suspending the industrial union at Tai Solarin College of Education. He suggested that the lack of a union at the college enabled the government to owe workers 15 months’ salary, causing great hardship on the workers.
“Ogun State government unilaterally scrapped the joint account allocation committee which is the statutory body that is supposed to distribute local government allocation, thereby causing lack of transparency in handling finances of Local government,” he said. He said the act contravenes the provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He also added that this act has handicapped the local government chairmen in the discharge of their duties.
Responding to the government’s “no work, no pay” stand, the union leader said the union was ready to take the state to court if it persisted in the policy. He described the policy as a diversionary tactic to dissuade labor members from participating in the strike.
The Ogun State government had said that the allowance deduction was used to pay junior workers’ salary. Mr. Olatunji said it was wrong of the government to “rob Taiwo to pay Kehinde.” He wondered why such deductions were not made from the salaries of government officials as well. According to him, the state recently increased the salary of traditional rulers as a strategy to buy them against the labor force.
“The government has no right to use a person’s money to pay someone else. All the politicians are getting their salaries 100 percent. They don’t contribute to the pension deduction and some of them that have served before collect huge pensions combined with their huge monthly salary. What justification do those in the government have to deduct my pension for six years and fail to remit it, even though the money is supposed to be saved for my old age?” said Mr. Olatunji.
He said the union had urged the government to negotiate, but instead the government had resorted to the victimization of labor leaders and workers. According to him, the state government had not been transparent in the appropriation of the bailout it received from the federal government. He added that the bailout was enough to pay off all allowances and gratuity, adding that the labor unions were shut out immediately the bailout was given.
He reaffirmed the unions’ commitment to continue the strike. “We are prepared to go all out until the government is ready to prioritize social infrastructural development just as the physical infrastructural development. People who are dying cannot use the bridges or the highway. You cannot put one above the other,” he said. He thanked all union members for their support and solidarity so far and urged them not to succumb to the government’s plot to frustrate their effort.
