RGANISED labour unions in Ondo State have lambasted the state Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Abayomi Adesanya for alleging civil servants of padding the 2017 budget with N795million.
The labour movement, which comprises of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress, (TUC) and the Joint Public service Negotiating Council (JNC) were flayed for including government’s gifts without the knowledge of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
Adesanya, in Nigerian Tribune Newspaper of 4th July, 2017 had said that the budgetary provisions of large amounts N795M for gift items during festivals and hosting of state guests may be the handiwork of some unscrupulous elements in the civil service, who are apparently part of the rot the APC-led administration inherited in the system.
The unions, in a statement made available to newsmen in Akure yesterday, described a comment attributed to Adesanya as unfortunate and a clear calculated attempt to distabilise governance in the state.
Mrs Bosede Daramola, Soladoye Ekundayo and Sunday Adeleye, the chairmen of NLC, TUC and JNC respectively, stated that workers of the state are decent, dedicated and conversant with the extant rules and regulations guiding their employment.
They cautioned Adesanya to desist from seeking cheap popularity by misinforming the public while he should verify his facts and figures before addressing the press on government’s policies and documents.
The union leaders, who declared that the budget followed due process, demanded that the APC spokesman should immediately retract the misleading statement.
They urged Governor Akeredolu to caution his party men, whom they said were ignorant of the workings of government, saying such careless allegation could be inimical to his administration.
“The consequence of Mr. Abayomi Adesanya’s flawed comment on the 2017 budget of Ondo State is to disrupt the prevailing peace in the state on one hand and the existing robust and harmonious relationship between workers and Governor Akeredolu’s administration.”
According to them, “Though we are not ready to join issues with any personality, group or institution but we want to state it unequivocally that the said statement is false and malicious meant to bring workers of Ondo State into disrepute.
“Therefore workers’ duty include, among others, uniting with the government of the day to build a robust and viable state that has always been a reference point among the comity of states in Nigeria.
“Ondo State workers in conjunction with their counterpart nationwide are at the forefront of the crusade against corruption, we will not in any form, no matter the status of the personality involved, condone or aid corrupt practice,” he said.
