May Day: Ekiti Workers Task Buhari On Campaign Promises

John Abiodun, Ado-Ekiti

Workers in Ekiti State have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, fulfil his campaign promises, saying Nigerians are already being pushed to the wall.

The workers, who spoke through the organised Labour during the Workers’ Day celebration in the State, accused the Buhari administration of paying lip service to its electoral promises and leaving the workforce to suffer.

State NLC Chairman, Comrade Raymond Adesanmi, said: “Government at the national level has been paying lip service to unemployment, the fight against corruption has been one sided and no prosecution has been made and judgement gotten, the monies recovered through the anti-corruption war have not been declared and above all, all the campaign promises of the present government at the centre have been abandoned.

“Two years after, the country has not witnessed the desired change Nigerians clamoured for. Salaries are being owed, gratuities, and pensions left unpaid, unrealistic and harsh economic policies unprecedented scourge of kidnapping, unchecked and incessant killings by Fulani herdsmen are some of what the Nigerian citizens are currently facing”, he said.

According to him, the Federal Government has to reappraise itself and make the necessary amends before Nigerians are pushed to the wall.

The labour leader, on the occasion where Governor Ayodele Fayose was honoured as “comrade governor” by the organised labour in the state, praised the governor for speaking against all forms of oppression represented by destructive activities of herdsmen, reducing crime rate in the state, attending to workers’, teachers’ welfare, promoting over 15,000 workers in arrears, and transparency in running the affairs of the state among others.

He, however, reminded the governor that there was need for him to put in more efforts in looking inwardly as an alternative means to paying outstanding salaries of workers in the state.

According to him, workers in the state are demanding to come first in terms of salary payment in Southwest and Nigeria as a whole.

Ekiti State Head of Service, Dr. Olugbenga Faseluka, also lauded the governor “for his favourable disposition to the welfare of workers in our state.”

The governor praised the workers for their patience and perseverance, assuring them that he was working round the clock to ensure he did not owe them a dime while leaving office.

Fayose, who said he had been transparent in all his dealings, said “no governor would come after me and abolish that transparency legacy I am leaving behind.

“During my first term, I used to pay workers on the 25th of every month. But the situation now is because of the debts left behind by past administration. I don’t want to dwell on past errors and I promise you, I won’t owe a kobo by the time I will be leaving office. God will provide the money as I believe this strongly.

He canvassed continued support of workers and all residents to his administration for the state to record good success just as he implored them to ensure the state did not lose out in reaping the gains of continuity.