The Ekiti State Government has assured local government workers of security of their jobs saying it has no intention of sacking them from work.
Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye, said in a statement on Tuesday that the clarification became necessary following what he called “wicked rumour” being peddled by the opposition that there are plans to sack council workers.
While urging local government workers and the generality of Ekiti people to ignore the sack rumour, Afuye said the state government still stands on the agreement reached with the workers’ union which led to the calling off of the last industrial action early November.
Describing opposition politicians whom he accused of sponsoring the rumour as a “gang of liars”, Afuye explained that what government only did after the strike was to post some workers to the areas where they will function optimally.
According to the government spokesman, council workers with education-related certificates were posted to schools to work as teachers while those in the council health sector were redeployed to the Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
Afuye said: “I want to reiterate once again that local government workers in Ekiti State that government has no plan to sack them because an agreement was reached with their union leaders that no worker will be victimized for his or her role while the strike lasted.
“This blatant falsehood is being spread by the opposition politicians to cause disaffection between government and local government workers.
“A cordial relationship exists between government and local government workers and those in the core civil service and we will do everything possible to maintain the industrial peace being enjoyed in the state.
“We challenge the opposition to publish the names of those purportedly sacked and produce their letters of disengagement from service.
“It is trite in law that he who alleges must prove, the onus is on the peddlers of this falsehood to substantiate their claim with concrete evidence.
“We urge the general public especially the local government workers to be wary of the antics of the opposition who are desperately looking for undeserved relevance.”
Last modified: December 20, 2012
