There is palpable fear in Ekiti State over an alleged secret plot by the State House of Assembly to sack a number of its workforces under the guise of staff audit.
The list of affected workers, consistent with an in-depth source within the clique of the Assembly Complex, who spoke with our reporter on condition of anonymity, had already been compiled.
This came because the organised labour within the State condemned the alleged plan by the House of Assembly to sack some staff under the guise of staff audit.
The organised labour during a letter jointly signed by the Secretaries of Nigeria Labour Congress, Coms Taiwo Akinyemi, union Congress, Lawrence Kuloogun and Joint Negotiating Council, Gbenga Olowoyo, said the unions will resist any plan to shove out some workers under the facade of staff audit.
In a letter dated 11th January 2021 and addressed to the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon Funminiyi Afuye, warned that sacking any worker at now would strain the graceful and robust relationship between the labour and therefore the administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi.
The letter entitled: “Staff audit in Ekiti State House of Assembly Service Commission, Need for caution’, expressed disgust over the alleged audit, it described as not being in tandem with the spirit of trust between the labour and government.
It stated: “It is extremely essential to tell you that the eye of the State leadership of the Organized Labour has been drawn to the activities of the House of Assembly Service Commission through a letter dated 9th January 2021, by Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PSSAN) in respect of Staff Audit report which is now before the House of Assembly Service Commission.
“As a matter necessarily, the leadership of the Organized Labour fumed over any action under the guise of Staff Audit to disrupt industrial peace within the workplace among Public Servants in Ekiti State.
“There is not any doubting the very fact that the purported affected staff are on the State integrated payroll solution system (I.e. Biometrics) captured since 2011.
“The sincere concern of the State leadership of the Organized Labour in Ekiti State is that each one action which will be tantamount to the sacking of any worker (s) in any of the Arms of state or Ministry/ Department/ Agency (MDAs) are going to be vigorously resisted.”
The labour said it might not tolerate any act of victimisation against any worker as responsible leaders, urging the assembly to imbibe the spirit of negotiation.
“We hereby admonish the House of Assembly Service commission leadership and most expediently the Rt. Honourable Speaker to halt any action which will snowball into the sacking of any worker.
“This isn’t the simplest of your time for such inhuman action.”
But reacting to the claim, the Chairman, Ekiti State House of Assembly Service Commission, Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun described it as a monumental falsehood, saying there wasn’t any plan to sack any worker.
The former Deputy Speaker said: “For the aim of clarity, we aren’t sacking anybody. Staff audit may be a periodic policy allowed by law to update our staff strength and ascertain our nominal roll.
“I don’t understand what the labour leaders were saying that the audit was intended to sack people. I would like to mention that this allegation was wrong. We never had the intention of sacking anyone under any guise.”
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