PDP, ACN blame Ondo workers’ strike on Mimiko

Written by Adewale Giwa, Akure Friday, 22 July 2011 00:00

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ondo State yesterday blamed Governor Olusegun Mimiko for the strike embarked upon by workers in the state over payment of  N14,000 salary relativity. The PDP in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, noted that the state had not witnessed the type of strike it is experiencing since the state was created. Fadaka also alleged that the governor is currently abroad pursuing personal interests.

“This attitude of Dr Olusegun Mimiko is not only disappointing, but also a disservice to a state he swore to serve. We have said that governance under this administration has been pedestrian and that only issues that serve their purposes have been prosecuted diligently. We have always known that what we have here is an absentee governor who works here, but lives elsewhere. As we speak, the governor is currently abroad on holidays to pursue personal interest at the expense of the business of state which he swore to discharge without levity. It is equally instructive to point out that at the onset of the crisis, he was equally abroad and had to rush down to attempt a resolution of the crisis and all that came out of that was that theatrical exercise where he picked a bunch of prominent old people to help him pacify the workers’ rather than to subject the entire development to negotiation as the norm dictates,” he said.

The ACN has also flayed the government over the workers’ strike. In a statement by its Publicity Director, Barrister Gbenga Akinmoyo, the party said the government has the money to pay the N14, 000 relativity.

“The truth must be told that this administration has abundant resources to pay the money, considering the huge amount of money it receives from the federation account monthly,” he said.

Reacting, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ranti Akerele said he could not confirm that the governor was out of the country, but maintained that the state government was still negotiating with workers. He assured that the strike would soon be called off.

“Even if the governor travels, the deputy governor is there to take over. Besides, we are still negotiating with the workers to call off the strike,” he said.

The workers embarked on strike last week Wednesday.