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By Adeola Badru
IBADAN—THE Oyo State Government, in reaction to the three-day warning strike embarked upon by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, has invoked no-work-no-pay rule on workers who failed to report at their duty posts.

Oyo state governor, Abiola Ajimobi

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Olalekan Alli and made available to journalists Wednesday.

The state government described the three-day warning strike as unwarranted and unjustifiable, adding that by the law setting up the tertiary institutions, the government was not responsible for the payment of salaries of workers in those institutions as being insinuated.

It, however, warned striking workers absent from duty, will face the no-work-no-pay rule according to the Trade Dispute Act 2010 Section43(1)(a).

“Government is only obliged to grant the tertiary institutions subventions, which each institution would apply to whichever area of the need that its Governing Council and management may decide upon”, Alli stated.

The SSG further clarified that salaries and pensions of workers at the state level have been paid up until November 2017, with only one month salary and pension (December 2017) that is still outstanding.

On the sack of 256 members of staff of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Alhaji Alli stated that upon receipt of the letter, the state government invited labour to a meeting, which he said they promised to attend, but finally failed to honour the attendance.

Alli said: “The recent forensic audit reports on the tertiary institutions revealed a lot of shortcomings such as inefficiencies, leakages, poor management, and other ineptitudes.  Some institutions were even declared unsustainable and unviable. The consultant further recommended their closure.  However, the recently constituted Governing Councils have been mandated to review their statuses and act suitably.”

“Contrary to Labour’s allegation, although Government on assumption of office in 2011, inherited Local Government Pension arrears totaling N4,736,741,934.49,  it is on record that Government has disbursed pensions and gratuity of retired primary school teachers to the tune of  N11,729,534,282.54.”