Strike : Ondo workers prevent Mimiko from entering govt house

The Ondo State striking workers on Thursday
blocked the main gate to the state government
house, preventing Governor Olusegun Mimiko
from gaining access to his office.

The workers commenced the industrial action
last week Wednesday to protest non-payment of
their five months salaries.

The governor, who was forced to come down
from his vehicle addressed the protesters,
pleading with them to suspend the strike, saying
there was not enough money in the
government’s coffers to pay the accumulated
salary arrears.

But the governor’s plea to convince the workers
was not accepted as some of them kept
chanting, ‘no salary no work’.

Responding to the governor’s address, the state
chairman of Joint Negotiating Council, Mr.
Sunday Adeleye, declared that if the workers
had no signal that the state government was
ready to pay the salaries owed, the indefinite
strike would continue.

Apart from the government house, workers also
stormed some major roads in Akure, the state
capital to continue the protest.

During the protest that lasted for over four
hours, the workers carried placards with
different inscriptions such as ‘Mimiko pay our
salary,’ ‘ we can’t feed our families,’ ‘ workers are
dying of hunger,’ ‘ise pupo, iya repete’ among
others.

The workers who were led by leaders of
organised Labour across the state were chanting
various anti-government songs during the
protest.

It was gathered that the Ondo State Council of
Obas led by the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor
Kiladejo, was meeting with the leadership of the
organised Labour as of the time of filing this
report.