Business and vehicular activities were on Wednesday paralyzed in Ibadan, Oyo State capital as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), protested planned privatisation of some public schools in the state and non-payment of over six months’ salary.
The NLC in the state had embarked on an indefinite strike barely eight days ago to demand the immediate withdrawal of all trump-up charges leveled against some incarcerated labour leaders and to rescind its decision to sell-off any public schools in the state, among others.
The angry workers who started converging at the NLC secretariat at Yidi, Agodi-Gate as early as 7:30am, departed for the streets of the ancient city around 10:05am amidst heavy security operatives who guided them to forestall violence.
The workers numbering over 5,000 created traffic gridlock from Yidi area, Agodi Bus-stop, Oje market, Beere and Mapo. Besides, the transport system was prevented from functioning forcing passengers and motorist to trek to their destinations.
The protesters were led by the Deputy President of the union, Comrade Kiri Mohammed Shuaibu , Comrade Peter Adeyemi and the Chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Waheed Olojede.
The protesters carried placard with inscriptions such as “Workers say no to privatisation of schools, Ajimobi is a liar, Pay our six months outstanding salaries, we condemn selling of public schools, among others.
In his remarks, Deputy National President of NLC, Comrade Peter Adeniyi Adeyemi has said the main reason why the union is protesting was to further drive home their demand for the immediate payment of six months outstanding salaries of workers in Oyo State.
“The truth is that even when workers are paid they are still trying to survive with the peanut the government is paying them not to talk of government not paying at all. The value of the salary they want to pay them has reduced. Even the government said there is no plan of devaluing the naira but we know that our currency has been devalued.
“We have not seen where the employers have been made banks, so the process of keeping the money of the employees is strange to us and it’s a new dimension. So if the government does not pay us our salaries at the right time they ought to do then they have to pay us an interest for holding our salaries.”
Similarly, the Chairman of NLC in Oyo State, Comrade Waheed Olojede said all workers in the state has been waiting to organise a mega rally to further protest the obnoxious policy of government that appears to them as anti-social an anti-workers.
“One of it is the unpaid arrears of salaries. Between the government and the workers there is a social contract, contract of provision of service and payment of salaries. For the past six months failed to perform their responsibility, this is why we are going on the streets to tell the state government that as a matter of urgency we want our salary arrears to be paid, in the same vein we want our pensioners whose pension have accrued with the gratuties. The entire workers of Oyo State also says no to privatisation, commercialisation of education in the state.” Olojede said
He said the union will remain undaunted and will continue to forge ahead until sanity prevails between the workers and government in the state.
Also the Secretary of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Akin James explained that their peaceful solidarity walk to the governor on Tuesday was not to condemn the labour union, but noted that the union would not allow violence and brigandage to be re-introduced into the state under whatever guise by any individual or group.
According to him, the era of impunity in the work environment is over, but “this is the time that workers are ready to demand for their right”.
He noted that they are not violence but are only demanding for their right.
According to James, we are also part NLC because we are a union, and for the fact that anything that is violence is attributed to the NURTW members.
“No more violence in this state and we are under the umbrella of NLC and we shall continue to support their struggle,” he said.
He refuted claims that members of the union have been hired to disrupt the NLC protest, vowing that nobody will disrupt the peaceful protest of the workers,” he said.
Meanwhile, as at the time of filling this report, the labour leaders who were accompanied by the Speaker of the state house of assembly, Hon Michael Adeyemo arrived at the governor’s office around 3:15 for a meeting with Governor Abiola Ajimobi.