By Shina Abubakar
Aggrieved members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, in Osun State have described the on-going strike by the union across the state’s councils as unnecessary.
The workers under the aegis of Association of Concerned Local Government Workers, said the over seven months strike has not only crippled governance at the grassroots but also impugn on their integrity as civil servants to have been collecting salary without working for it.
Addressing newsmen in Osogbo, yesterday, the group’s Coordinator, Mr Adedayo Adekunle, berated Osun NULGE leaders for trading the welfare concern of members for personal pecuniary gain.
According to Adekunle, “It is uncivilized for a union leader to resolve unilaterally to call a strike which has lasted for over seven (7) nonths. Enough is enough. The excuse of insecurity is no longer tenable, no insecurity anywhere. We are the landlords of local government secretariats, it is unheard that the landlords quit their property for all kinds of pests and animals to occupy.
“The fact that legal actions are ongoing, does not mean we should abscond from our primary assignment in which weare paid for. Does it mean that when election Tribunal is ongoing be it at Federal or State level the civil servants should down tools? No, we do not belong to any political parties, by so doing, parties’ legitimacy tussle shout not deter us from going to our offices”.
While calling on members who are yet to start going to work to resume on Monday, he tasked the Chairman at the council not to renege to honour the autonomy deal as it could lead to a strain relationship with the body.
“To avoid degradation and possible job loss, concerned local government staff hereby calls on all patriotic and law abiding local government workers to resume back to work without delay and information at our disposal is that staff auditing has been slated for next week to ascertain the actual number of staff in the office.
“We want to use this medium to assure our members that we are apolitical and any attempt for the lawfully recognized local government elected executives to derail on their promises, you are assured of our reactionary action against any insincerity of any type.”
However, NULGE in statement by its Publicity Secretary, David Owoeye, urged its members not to resume work, saying its leadership would continue to fight for the rights of members.
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