Ogun public servants threaten to down tools over non-remittance of N2.8bn deductions

Following the failure to remit N2.8 billion deductions made from salaries of public servants between October 2014 and January 2015, public servants in Ogun State under the auspices of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, have threatened to embark on a three-day warning strike to press home their demand.

The three-day warning strike, according to the public servants, would begin Tuesday (tomorrow) and end on Thursday as an avenue of expressing their grievances and dissatisfaction against the government’s decision to withhold their deductions for four months without any move or intent to offset the debts.

Speaking on behalf of the council at the NUJ Press Centre in Abeokuta at the weekend, Muibi Bello, secretary, Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Ogun State, lamented that the withheld deductions had worsened the standard of living of the members of the body since October, saying “the JNC is constrained to take this action since every known channel of negotiation and dialogue has proved abortive.

“Sequel to the refusal of the state government to accede to the demand of workers in the State Public Service over the unpaid four-month deductions made from their salaries of October, November, December, 2014 and January, 2015; the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council on behalf of the State Public Servants hereby issued a 3-Day Warning Strike effective from 10th, Tuesday – 12th, Thursday, 2015 to drive home their demand.

“At a meeting held Friday, 20th February, 2015, government officials informed labour of plans to pay two months deductions, covering the mentioned months, be fully offset before the payment of February, 2015 salaries to ameliorate the sufferings of workers in the State who continue to find it increasingly difficult to meet their basic family needs given that the objective of subscribing to some of these savings have been defeated arising from these unpaid deductions.

“The government, however, reneged on its own position and neither acceded to the demand of labour. Further, in realisation of plea made by the government, labour agreed to defer further negotiation on the issue of outstanding unremitted Contributory Pension Fund deductions until after the general elections.”

The workers, which comprise members from the Associations of Senior Civil Servants, Nurses and Midwives; Nigerian Civil Service Uinon, Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Agriculture and Allied Employees’ Union of Nigeria among others, have therefore, said, “In view of the foregoing, State public servants are hereby directed to stay away from their duty posts from 10th, Tuesday – 12th, Thursday, 2015.”

RAZAQ AYINLA