Ogun Workers Cry to Abiodun over 17 Months Unpaid Deductions

.  Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR,             Governor of Ogun State

Abeokuta: By Our REPORTER

Published, Thursday, August 12, 2021

Workers in Ogun State have cried out to Governor Dapo Abiodun to pay their salary deductions, saying “we are dying.”

THE OGUN STATE SALARY EARNERS’ CO-OPERATIVE THRIFT AND CREDIT UNION LIMITED alleged that Gov Abiodun had refused to pay their 17 months outstanding co-operative deductions.

Monthly, workers who are members of the Ogun State Salary Earners’ Co-operative Thrift and Credit Union Limited, save a percentage of their salaries with the union.

Thedispatch learned that the money is deducted by the state government and paid to the union on behalf of the workers.

However, the union said 17 months of the deductions are yet to be remitted by the State to the Union, making it difficult for workers to access their voluntary savings and obtain loans.

The cooperative union, in a statement jointly signed by its President, Bodude Tanimola and the General Manager, Sunday Ajayi, and made available to thedispatch begged Abiodun to stop the unwarranted deaths caused by the non-payment of their entitlements.

The union lamented that children of many of its members have dropped out of school over their parents’ inability to fund their education.

According to the union, the unremitted co-operative deductions had run into billions of Naira.

The union leaders expressed dissatisfaction that many letters written to Gov Abiodun, the Head of Service and others were ignored.

The statement read in part: “There is the inability of our members to take care of their immediate and extended families's welfare.

“There is also the inability to give out loans to our co-operative members.

“We appeal to the Executive Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun to look into the 17 months Co-operative deductions outstanding owed our members, to reduce the number of deaths recorded among our members.”

It should be recalled that Governor Abiodun has on many occasions promised to make workers’ welfare a priority.

During the 2021 Workers Day celebration at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, the Governor promised to clear the deductions, but the workers said nothing has been done since then.

According to them, Abiodun inherited zero unremitted cooperative deductions, but has since championed owing 17 months since he assumed office in 2019.

The Governor was accused of paying lip service to the full payment of workers’ salaries as members of JUSUN are presently on indefinite strike for salary shortchange since 2020.