The Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ondo State, Mr Yemi Olowolabi has assured the state’s Trade Union Congress (TUC) that the state’s governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu never leveled any direct accusation against the congress as a whole.
In a release personally signed by Mr Olowolabi, he quoted the governor as pointedly advising them not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to create crisis in the state.
He disclosed that the governor got intelligence reports indicating that some union leaders in the state had clandestine meetings with and collected money from Ayodele Fayose-led PDP government in Ekiti State with a view to fomenting industrial troubles in Ondo State.
Read the full details of the release here:
The attention of the Ondo State government has been drawn to a story in some national dailies about a purported allegation by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) against the state chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
According to the story, Governor Akeredolu had during a meeting with workers in the state on Wednesday accused the TUC of collecting bribe from Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State in order to embark on a strike.
This claim would ordinarily have been ignored, but it is imperative for us as responsible government to set the record straight and repudiate efforts of mischief makers to distort the facts of the meeting between the workers and the governor.
For the purpose of clarity, the meeting, which held inside the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Akure, was part of the efforts of the government to sustain the robust relationship with its workforce.
At the meeting, the JNC Chairman, Abel Opeyemi Oloniyo, who spoke on behalf of the workers, while listing some concerns being expressed by the workers, praised the governor for his commitment to the welfare of the state workforce.
He said the governor had kept his promise not to owe the state workers their salaries, and also appreciated him for the payment of salary arrears.
He had said “You inherited Seven months salary arrears and you have paid four out of it. We thank you, Sir.
“We also want to thank you, despite the precarious financial situation we found ourselves financially, you made our promotion exercise possible last year
“Let us also appreciate you for the appointment of permanent secretaries, even those who do not know anybody in government were appointed permanent secretaries. We must also thank you for the various infrastructural development in our state.”
While responding, the governor also thanked the workers for their support, and promised that his administration would continue to prioritise their welfare.
However, the governor pointedly advised them not to allow themselves be used by politicians to create crisis in the state, disclosing that there were intelligence reports indicating that some union leaders in the state had clandestine meetings with and collected money from Ayodele Fayose-led PDP government in Ekiti State with a view to fomenting industrial troubles in Ondo State.
It is, therefore, curious that the TUC is reacting to the allegation of bribery and complicity to cause confusion when the Governor has not mentioned any union in particular.
For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Akeredolu remains committed to his covenant of excellent service delivery to the people of Ondo State and as such, can not be intimidated by cheap blackmail or sheer threats from any quarters. Only the guilty are afraid.
Yemi Olowolabi, Commissioner for Information and Orientation
