Akeredolu, labour’s dispute deepens as Ondo governor walks out of meeting with union
Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has reportedly walked out of a meeting with the organised labour in the state.
A source who preferred anonymity revealed to DAILY POST that Akeredolu had kept the labour leaders waiting for more than four hours at the Cocoa Conference hall of the governor’s office, Alagbaka Akure venue of the meeting.
The source further stated that the labour leaders comprising the state’s NLC chairman, Comrade Tayo Ogunleye, TUC chairman, Comrade Soladoye Ekundayo as well as the JNC chairman, Comrade Abel Oloniyo were at the governor’s office to confirm the actual status of the last tranche of the over N20 billion Paris Club Refund the state had allegedly received.
On arriving at the meeting, the governor was said to have expressed dissatisfaction with the blockage of his office entrance during the week, when workers and pensioners in the state appealed that the refund by the federal government should be used to offset outstanding arrears and gratuities. Consequently, he took a walkout.
Addressing newsmen after the aborted meeting, the NLC chairman, Comrade Tayo Ogunleye said the action of Akeredolu who walked out on labour leaders had revealed the intention of the governor to divert the Paris club refund for personal or political use.
Workers and pensioners in the state had earlier this week converged on the office of the governor to kick against the alleged plot by the state government to divert the Paris club debt refund released by President Muhammadu Buhari to settle accumulated arrears of salaries, gratuities and pensions.
During the protest, the state Deputy Accountant-General, Tunde Akinsanmi confirmed that the state government received an alert of 20.9billoin about 4 weeks ago but the money was withdrawn by the CBN from the state coffer because the Federal Government wanted to verify Ondo State’s statement of account.
