By OLA AJAYI
IBADAN—SOME workers in Oyo State protesting alleged disparity in the minimum wage table are crying foul and alleging that their colleagues have been arrested on the purported orders of the State Government.

On Tuesday, the state government had threatened that it would not hesitate to deal with the striking workers if they constituted breach to the peaceful atmosphere in the state.

But Dr Festus Adedayo, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, dismissed the claim saying “there was no way that could have happened because we are already on negotiation table with the union and they have given the government a seven- day ultimatum within which we must meet their demands”.

The workers, including teachers have embarked on strike since Monday, vowing not to resume until their demands were met by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

It will be recalled that some aggrieved workers who claimed they had lost confidence in the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, in the state, said they had sacked their leaders and put in place a caretaker  committee.

Vanguard gathered that Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Mr. Bayo Akande, was arrested at Ikolaba Grammar School, Ibadan.

Before his arrest, the teacher was said to have been invited by his  principal to answer a query issued him by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.

But on getting there, he was rounded up by security agents and taken to Eleyele Police Command after which he was detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku.

Commenting on the arrest of the teacher, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Tambari Yabo Mohammed, said he was arrested so that his activities did not constitute a breach of public peace.

He explained that the teacher allegedly invaded some schools and forced teachers and students out of their classrooms.

In condemning the prompted arrest the workers represented by one  Seun Oludare,  said: ‘’We, the entire workers of Oyo State, strongly condemn the attack unleashed on some of our members this afternoon, March 21, 2012 at Ibadan South-East Local Government Area, Mapo, Ibadan.

At the same time we strongly condemn the unlawful arrest of Com. Bayo Akande–Chairman of Oyo State Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Caretaker Committee who was arrested early this morning Wednesday, March 21, in connection with the ongoing peaceful protest of Oyo State workers for unconditional implementation of N18,000 national minimum wage across board for Oyo State workers.”

Meantime, the governor, yesterday, alleged that the bulk of the money voted for some of the projects executed by the past administration of his predecessor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala ended up in private pockets.

Ajimobi claimed that the larger percentage of the money that should have been given to contractors was used as bribe and which accounted for the perceived low quality jobs done in the state.

The governor, who said his administration would not condone any form of corruption, told contractors handling various projects in the state to report anybody who demanded money from them.

Ajimobi said to correct the perceived shoddy jobs and construct new quality roads, bridges and flyovers across the state, his government would spend N11 billion.

The governor, according  Adedayo, said the amount would cover the construction of 57 roads, eight bridges and one fly-over at the popular Mokola Roundabout in Ibadan.

He spoke at the official flag-off of the reconstruction of Secretariat-Bodija and Ogbere-Babanla bridges in Ibadan.

Ajimobi said: “Most of the roads constructed by the past administration could not stand the test of time. The reason is simple. The bulk of the money voted for the projects had been collected from the contractors. That is why you see some of their roads being washed away as they were being constructed.

But for us, we will never collect a kobo from any contractor because we don’t want any contractor to have any excuse for not delivering good quality job. The contractors should not hesitate to tell me of anybody who demands money or anything from them. There is no room for corruption and corrupt elements in this government.”