The Ondo State workers on Monday confirmed the payment of six months salary arrears to them by the state government.
The workers, who earlier threatened to embark on a strike if the state government failed to pay the salary arrears, said they had been receiving bank alerts since Monday.
The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress in the state, Mr Tayo Ogunleye, who confirmed the development, said the government had paid six out of the seven-month salary arrears with the promise to pay the remaining one month before the end of January.
Ogunleye said, “The leadership of the organsed labour in Ondo State has not compromised on the strike action but only negotiated with the government on the welfare of workers.
“The government should not been waiting for an ultimatum from the labour unions before they yield to the demand of the labour in the state.”
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Mr Segun Ajiboye, also confirmed the payment of the salary arrears, saying the governor had kept to his promise of paying the salary arrears. He added that the relationship between the governor and the workers was still cordial.
He said, “Akeredolu has vowed to clear the arrears and prioritize the welfare of workers. Today, he has kept to the promise, he has paid six months arrears out the seven months inherited in less than two years in office.
“The Governor does not view the payment of salary as an achievement, rather he sees it as a duty and responsibility of government. But for record purposes, Akeredolu inherited arrears of August 2016 -February 2017. Only arrears of December 2016 is yet to be paid.
“By the end of this year, workers in Ondo State would have collected salary for fifteen months -twelve in the year and three arrears of past years.”
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