Ekiti State chapter of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday protested against the failure of the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, to pay five months arrears of salaries and allowances to workers and pensioners in the state on his (the governor’s) insincerity.
The protesters carried placards describing the governor as not being sincere and concerned about the plight of the striking workers. Some of the placards read: “He who works deserved to be paid”; “Workers are dying of hunger;” “NANS say no to taxation of school pupils in Ekiti”. The students’ group chanted songs, urging Fayose to pay the workers. The noted that many of them were already going through untold hardship.
The protesters from different higher institutions across the state gathered at Fajuyi Roundabout, where they moved through the governor’s office along Okesa, taking over the major road, and causing slight traffic build-up.
Organised labour had nearly a month ago embarked on indefinite strike, insisting the owed arrears of salaries must be paid before the workers would resume work. In a chat with newsmen, president of the Ekiti arm of the body, Comrade Shina Awopeju, lamented that the strike has brought setback to the education sector in the state, adding that many school pupils have been staying at home for the past four weeks.
“If Mr. Governor refused to pay salaries, we won’t relent in our protest; the protest will continue till next week. National Association of Students in Ekiti state is totally against taxation of students in Ekiti state,” Awopeju said.
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