It would be recalled that FESSU released a communique last week in solidarity with the workers. It even went ahead by passing vote of no confidence on governor Ayodele Fayose and also issued a seven-day ultimatum. [Read More]
But the latest is that the students body now pitch tent with the governor, this was made known by press release signed by its President, Comrade Obayemi Peter.
It reads:
"On a day like this, we, the students of Ekiti State standing under the umbrella of the Federation of Ekiti State Students Union (FESSU) have deemed it necessary to express our solidarity to the State Government and at the same time appeal to the labour leaders to embrace dialogue in resolving the current misunderstanding between labour and the government.
It is our understanding that the present economic crisis in Ekiti State was not created by the present government. Rather, it is a combination of the profligacy of the immediate past government in the State and the federal government lack of solution to the country’s economic problems.
Even though we sympathise with our parents who are the workers that are no longer receiving their salary regularly and we make bold to say that we, the students are also being affected, truth must however be told, and the truth is that Governor Ayodele Fayose cannot be blamed for non-payment of workers salary.
It is on record that Governor Fayose was paying workers salary and deductions regularly until allocation from Abuja reduced to less than N1bn per month. This month, Ekiti got N751 million!
We are also aware that Labour leaders and other stakeholders are part of the committee that allocate the State monthly allocation from Abuja whenever it is received and details of money coming to the State are known to the labour leaders.
Most importantly, in the Southwest, Ekiti is one of the States that owe the least salary – some States have been paying half salary without deductions for close to one year.
To us in FESSU, labour leaders in Ekiti State should rather confront the Federal Government that has crippled the nation’s economy and the immediate past government that plunged the State into debt.
For instance, if the deductions being made monthly from allocation coming to Ekiti State from Abuja as debt repayment are not being made, Ekiti State monthly income will still be close to N2bn even in the face of the economic recession.
Too bad, the labour leaders kept silent when inspite of the Oil Windfall of over N46bn received by the immediate past government, the government went on borrowing spree, taking over N30bn Commercial Loan and N25bn Bond.
Perhaps, if the workers had protested then, Ekiti State won’t be in the financial mess that it is today.
It is therefore in view of the realities that we can all see that we are urging the labour leaders to dialogue with the State Government with a view to resolving the current impasse. Confrontation will not work at this time!
We also wish to remind the Governor of the requests of the students, especially provision of Union Bus and payment of bursary that we presented to him and his promise to look into them as the economy of the State improves, it ended."
Hmmmmmmm..... Your position might not be far from the truth.
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