The civil and public servants of Oyo State are determined to continue their protest until they have the opportunity to speak with Governor Seyi Makinde in person, regardless of how long it takes.
The State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Kayode Martins, stated this when he addressed journlists on Wednesday.
This was during a protest by organised labour to get the government’s attention to roll out palliatives to state workers and citizens.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the protest, which started on Monday, entered its third day on Wednesday without the governor being available to address the workers.
The workers had, since the commencement of the protest on Monday, been blocking the main entrance gate to the government secretariat, with official activities paralysed.
The NLC chairman said although the governor had set up a committee on subsidy removal palliatives eight weeks ago, the committee had not met since then on the assignment.
He said that the situation in the state was becoming worrisome in the face of other state governors rolling out palliatives for their workers and citizens.
Martins said that the congress was complying with the directive of its national body to stage the protest, adding that the people of the state were in support of the action.
According to him, life has become a mirage in Nigeria as a result of the removal of fuel subsidies by the Federal Government.
He said: “Cost of living has become unbearable for the people of Oyo State and Nigeria in general.
“We in Oyo State have a number of issues that we are protesting against among which are unremitted deductions of staff cooperative loans, car and housing loans, unpaid promotion arrears, upward review of pension and leave bonuses.”
NAN reports that NLC’s position to continue with the protest until Makinde showed up was supported by the state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Bosun Olabiyi.
According to Olabiyi, the union will continue the protest in the state, even if it takes the governor one month to address them.
He said that people on the streets were tired and hungry, adding that that was the reason for their protest.
He said: “What we are asking for is to let the people be and live as Nigerians, and not as animals.
“Enough is enough.”
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