[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ome members of the workforce in Ogun State have decried the non implementations of basic entitlements of workers and palliatives for fuel subsidy removal, among other plethora of issues being faced, by the governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
Recall that since the new administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu insisted on the removal of fuel subsidy, the economic hardship of Nigerians has doubled.
Governor Abiodun, who was the chairman of the Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, also described the fuel subsidy as a scam, saying that its removal by the president would improve the lives of a lot of Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the state governor held a meeting with labour leaders earlier in June on how they can create palliatives following the removal.
After the meeting which lasted for several minutes, Abiodun made a promise to look into ways of reducing the impact of the subsidy removal on the residents of the state.
“I called this meeting so that we can rub minds to find different options in view of the recently announced long-awaited deregulation of the Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We are not, as a responsible administration, unmindful of the consequences that the regulation would cause in terms of its effect on the disposable income of the workers.
“We have noted that the price of Petrol is now N500 from slightly above N200. There is a relationship between the cost of PMS and transportation and the cost of transportation and the cost of goods and services.
“Since the announcement, as the governor and a player in the industry, I have been concerned about the multiplier effects as it would affect workers going to and from work and how it would affect their responsibilities and wellbeing,” Prince Abiodun noted.
But according to a source, who spoke to Freelanews on condition of anonymity, no directive has been given whatsoever on the state government’s intention to ameliorate or cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal, unlike other states.
“In other states, the governors made buses available to convey civil servants to work, reduce cost of bus fare to offices and some increased salaries. Others that couldn’t (increase salaries) in short term, reduce work week to 3 to 4days per worker.
“Our own governor is still setting up committee,” the source complained.
The governor led oil marketers to a meeting with President Tinubu in Abuja over the removal of subsidy on petrol, where they promised to donate 50 to 100, fifty-seater mass transit buses that would run on CNG, costing N100m each and N10bn cumulatively, to cushion the effect of the removal within the next 30 days.
Pundits wondered why the governor is finding it difficult to implement such in his own backyard.
It was also alleged that despite the new hazard allowance for health workers has been approved for over two years now, the governor has continued to pay lip-service to the implementation.
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“It (hazard allowance) was N5,000 before but when the federal government was challenged when COVID-19 happened in 2020. Though after some internal delays, around N20k to N40k+ was eventually approved by the end of 2021.
“While the federal government paid its workers the arrears and other states followed suit, it is shocking that up till now, our high IGR state never get our time!” the source told our correspondent.
Freelanews was also informed that contrary to the governor’s claim that everyone due for promotion has been promoted, nobody can claim that he has gotten a promotion letter.
“It’s audio promotion,” he said.
Other issues raised included allegations of unpaid gratuities and deductions from workers’ salaries.
“Imagine, a governor not paying workers’ deduction since he resumed unlike his predecessors which commenced years after. Workers have no pension or gratuity in Ogun again and no one is bothered.
“Workers deductions not paid to the right channel, OGSG deducts and spends it. It is owing like more than 24 months or 36 months,” he said.
The labour unions, like the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, in the state were also accused of collusion with the state government.
“And to add insult to injury the labour unions are not saying anything. The last strike that was called because of the deductions & all, these guys went and collected money to settle.
“They were denying that they have signed and as some unionists were trying to tackle them that Friday, one slumped and died.
“Can you imagine that Ogun workers resumed back the following Monday because of non-letter headed directive purportedly signed by these union leaders which they actually denied? Still, no one called the workers back; the guy just died for nothing,” another source, a senior civil servant in the state, revealed.
The civil servant complained about the state’s health workforce that have depleted abysmally due to all these issues while government lacks the creativity to retain those remaining.
“Ogun health work force has been depleted seriously by japa but still nothing has been done to strengthen those left. The government instead deployed intimidation to know when you japa immediately,” he said.
This may not be far from the truth as the governor also re-echoed brain drain syndrome in the sector on March 2, 2023, when he allegedly approved payment of hazard allowance to health workers in state.
His words: “I know that some of you go into depression and other forms of health hazards, so, I am going to approve your hazard allowance.
“I want to liaise with you on how to address the brain drain, which is affecting the health sector. I am sure with your collaboration, we can find a solution to this problem.”
Ojelabi, the publisher of Freelanews, is an award winning and professionally trained mass communicator and a recipient of the D9112 Superstar Icon Award, who writes ruthlessly about pop culture, religion, politics and entertainment.
