Governor fayose begs striking workers to call it off

Governor Ayo Fayose has called on
striking workers in Ekiti state to call off
their strike.

He said the salaries of some category of
workers are ready
, but they payments cannot
be processed because of the strike.
The workers are protesting the non-payment
of their salaries for 10 months.
Fayose said “I have not hidden anything from
the labour leaders and what our dear state is
experiencing now has been aggravated by
the mindless borrowings of the immediate
past administration in the state.
“The state is paying about N1bn monthly to
service the bond and the commercial loans
they took. If that did not happen, we would
have had such money to add to our monthly
allocations.
“During my first term in office, I was paying
salaries regularly and on the 22nd of every
month and workers never went on strike. I
sympathise with the workers and regret the
inconveniences the current financial
situation in the country is causing them.”
The Governor also invited the striking
workers to a dialogue.
He also added that “The situation is not
limited to Ekiti State, as the country is on a
recession. All these I have foreseen that
made me open the finances of the state to all
and run an all inclusive financial
management.
“Regrettably, it is difficult to give what you
don’t have. It is in the interest of the state
that the workers need to come to terms with
the reality on the dwindling allocations
coming to the state because even two
months allocations can no longer pay one
month salary.
“I implore workers and their leaders to note
that even the recent nationwide strike called
over fuel price increase was called off for the
two sides to go into negotiation and
dialogue.”
Fayose sympathised with the workers, saying
he knows they are going through hard times.