BY WOLE BALOGUN, ADO EKITI

WORKERS in Ekiti State yesterday suspended their four-week-old industrial strike, following the signing of an agreement with the state government.

At a ceremony in Ado-Ekiti, the state gov­ernment and the central labour unions agreed to a sev­en-point deal.

On government side, were the Secretary to the Govern­ment, Dr. Mrs Modupe Alade; the Head of Service, Dr. Gben­ga Faseluka and the Chief of Staff, Chief Dipo Anisulowo. On the side of labour, were the Chairman, Joint Negotiating Council, Comrade Ola­dipo Johnson; the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ade Adesanmi and state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Odun­ayo Adesoye. Among the resolutions reached were that the state government should within seven days conclude its request with commercial banks to restructure person­al loans granted pub­lic servants with a view to giving them relief from loan repayment; payment of January 2016 salary immedi­ately and the payment of Feb­ruary salary as soon as Budget Support Fund is available. Others were giving priority to government’s obligations to public servants, payment of September 2014 salary of primary school teachers as well as Leave Bonus of local government employees.

Others were making N10 million available monthly to gradually defray outstanding gratuities, release the report of the 2015 staff verification exercise and making month­ly provision for capacity building of public servants. Speaking on the develop­ment, the Head of Service, expressed appreciation for the understanding shown by the labour leaders and the com­mitment of Governor Ayodele Fayose to ensure industrial harmony in the state.

He said the gap in the payment of salaries arose following the understanding between labour and govern­ment last September that the state’s resources and statutory allocations were no longer adequate to pay salaries and there was need to merge two allocations to pay a month’s salary.

“When you have such a sit­uation, it is obvious that when you get to 12 months, there would be a gap of six months. The arrangement started and we were combining two allo­cations to pay a month salary. The state government appre­ciates the workers and value their support and coopera­tion,” he said.

The JNC Chairman, Comrade Oladipo John­son, said the suspension of the strike would allow further consultations and expressed thanks to workers for their support during the strike.