By Latiifah Amusan
Amid ongoing protests that have entered its fifth day, workers and pensioners in Oyo State, Nigeria, gathered at the entrance of the government secretariat on Friday to observe the Jummah prayer.
The protest, organized by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), has been fueled by various demands.
These include payment of salary deductions, distribution of palliatives for workers, an increase in pension allowances, payment of leave bonuses, gratuities for retirees, and the release of promotion letters for the years 2021 and 2022.
The protesters expressed their determination to continue demonstrating until Governor Engineer Seyi Makinde addresses their grievances.
The main entrance of the secretariat remains blocked, causing disruptions in vehicular movement in the vicinity.
Workers have been advised against entering the secretariat to resume their daily work and encouraged to participate in the protests.
During the Jummah prayer, Vice Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (Public Service), Comrade Olanipekun Oluwaseun, stated that the service at the secretariat’s main gate might not have been necessary if the Governor had responded to the workers’ concerns.
The NLC Chairman in Oyo State, Comrade Kayode Martin, called on Governor Makinde to address their demands and warned that the union will not call off the protests until their issues are satisfactorily resolved.
