By Gbenga Ariyibi
Public servants in Ekiti State Tuesday took to the streets protesting an increment in the interest rates on loans  taken by the workers.

Hardly had the workers resumed for the yesterday’s job when leaders of the two unions, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, stormed all the ministries, parastatals and agencies asking all the workers to join the strike action.

Shortly after the union leaders had mobilized their colleagues, the  workers trooped out in their thousands and converged at the House of Assembly  where they commenced their action. At the assembly complex none of the lawmakers was available to address the aggrieved workers

Incidentally, Governor Segun Oni and his deputy, Dr Sikiru Lawal were out of town when the protest started.

The aggrieved workers who armed themselves with placards inscribed with various unprintable words depicting the harsh policy of Engr Oni-led government, vowed to press government to change its decision over the interest rates chargeable on the loans.

Some of the words contained in the placards include; “Governor Oni, please stop this policy”, “why is this government being unnecessarily harsh on the workers”, “Governor Oni has used the state fund to execute his election at the tribunal”, “Segun Oni withdraw this evil circular”, “Segun Oni is a wicked man.”

Speaking at the Governor’s Office, the chairman of the NLC condemned the circular dated 2nd June,2010 ordering all the permanent secretaries, Head of Non-Ministerial departments and agencies to comment deduction from workers salary on an interest rate of 15 percent in respect of land/ housing and vehicle loans, noting that this directive was at variance with the extant agreement between workers and the state government

They further accused the state government of a sudden increase of the interest rates on loans by 300 percent and the compression of years through which the loans are repayable

It took more than fifteen minutes before the  NLC Chairman could convince the workers to allow the State Head of Service, Mr Femi Adewumi to address them, maintaining that the Head of Service had failed to protect their interests as the number one Civil Servant in the State

The Head of Service who expressed shock over the action of the workers who trooped out in large numbers, however pleaded with them to go about the protest peacefully and refrain from embarking on any act that could portray the workers in bad light

His words, “In fact, I am really embarrassed  by this protest because it is very rare in Ekiti State public service. Our workers don’t normally go on strike. Protest is one of the legitimate ways you think you can fight this cause and express your grievances”, he said

It was the timely intervention of the police led by CPS Samuel Etaife Erale that  prevented the workers from taking their action to the main town

Efforts  by Vanguard to speak with any of the traditional rulers at the Old Governor’s office proved abortive as none of the monarchs volunteered  to attend to the protesting workers