Exclusive: Amosun may get Fayemi’s treatment as Ogun teachers’ strike enters second week

The Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun’s hope of being re-elected for the second term seems to be hitting the rock as the state teachers’ strike entered the second week.

Presently, the Labour Party in the State has described his government as insensitive.

Secretary of LP in the State, Sunday Oginni said it is inhuman for the state  governor “not only to continue with campaign for another term but also to say only irresponsible teachers would abandon classes.

 “ Teachers in both public primary and secondary schools in the state had begun the strike last week over alleged   failure of the governor to pay the teachers’ 27.5 per cent salary increment.

According to a teacher, who craved anonymity, another grouse was the alleged non-remittance of the pension fund as well as their cooperative deductions.

The governor has assured that efforts are in top gear to resolve grievances surrounding the  strike embarked upon by public school teachers in the state last Friday, after he had described strike as an “irresponsible” act during his Ijebu-Igbo campaign tour.

But while the striking teachers stick to their guns, lawyers in the Ministry of Justice under the “Lawyers Association of Nigeria (LOAN), have also embarked upon strike to their unpaid harmonisation and robe allowance.

The lawyers said the government was owing them three years robe allowance and 17 months harmonisation,  according to an insider source in the MOJ, who does not want to be named.

“We have met separately and at different times with the Secretary to the State Government and the HOS, with promises to find a resolution to the impasse but to no avail, “ the source obliged.

Amosun, while noting that his government was not folding its arms, said during his ward-to-ward re-election campaign rally in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state that “grey areas would be addressed without leaving any stone unturned”

“We are committed to improving the lives of workers in this state. This is the reason our salary is higher than other states in the South-West and which is paid on time and regularly.

“When we came on board, teachers salary was N700m plus but we have increased it to N1.9b within our three and half years in office.

“We are discussing with Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to see that all issues are resolved. The lapses that brought about the strike would be addressed”, he said

“The Law Officers sought audience with the Ogun State Governor to express their displeasure over the non-payment? of their outstanding allowances and emoluments despite the Governor’s promise in November, 2013 that all outstanding allowances will be paid and subsequent payment will be done as at when due,” the source said.

Presently, most of the civil servants are said to be rooting for Akin Odunsi, a candidate of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP).

“I can tell you that most of us (civil servants) have resolved to vote for SDP for governor and Buhari for President, one of the aggrieved teachers told Mega StarNews in Abeokuta.

It is believed that most civil servants might vote against Amosun just as the way they did to former governor Fayemi of Ekiti State.