NLC has failed workers in Ekiti
Former Ekiti State Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman Kolawole Olaiya has berated leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state for allowing government to owe workers and pentioners arrears of salary, pension and gratuities. Olaiya said it was strange to him that labour unions were defending the government and justifying why salaries are […]
Olaiya said it was strange to him that labour unions were defending the government and justifying why salaries are not paid adding, "They have failed the workers because they were installed by the government."
He said, “They have abandoned the workers and defending their paymasters but history and posterity will judge them.”
Featuring on a Yoruba current affairs programme, ‘ISEJOBA RERE’ (Good governance) on Radio Nigeria’s Progress 100.5 FM in Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday Olaiya also revealed he was behind the petition that led to the arrest of the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo and Accountant General, Yemisi Owolabi by the EFCC.
Olaiya recalled that he sent a petition to the anti-graft agency with relevant documents in June 2016, four months before he ended his tenure as the TUC chairman in the state.
Olaiya, a lawyer, said the petition was forwarded to the anti-graft agency because there were evidences of “criminal diversion” of the bailout funds released by the federal government to states to pay arrears of workers’ salaries and pensioners’ benefits.
The petition, according to him was copied to President Muhammadu Buhari, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Debt Management Office (DMO) and Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC) led by Prof. Itse Sagay.
He alleged that both the Commissioner and the Accountant General had made confessional statements to the EFCC which led to the discovery that N680 million lodged in a private account yielding N6 million interest every month.
Olaiya, who was Grade Level 12 officer in the state Ministry of Justice was demoted to Level 10 and was dismissed by a panel set by the state government after he raised the alarm that the first tranche of the N9.6 billion bailout received in September 2015 had been allegedly diverted.
The former TUC chief wondered why local government workers, primary school teachers and council pensioners are owed nine months arrears when local councils from where they draw their monies are paid differently.
He commended the EFCC for responding to the petition, urging the judiciary to cooperate with the anti-graft body to stamp out corruption in the land and desist from granting what he called “frivolous injunctions” to stop the fight against corruption.
Olaiya said: “I went to the EFCC and I saw the files on the alleged mismanagement of Ekiti funds. Investigations are still ongoing and we strongly believe that the truth will prevail.
“We have the information that other files demanded by the EFCC are hidden in the Government House and the Accountant General has relocated her office to the Government House
“It is strange to me that labour unions are defending the government and justifying why salaries are not paid. They have failed the workers because they were installed by the government.
“They have abandoned the workers and defending their paymasters but history and posterity will judge them.” He said.