Staff of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service staged a peaceful protest on Thursday, demanding the implementation of the new minimum wage by the management of the government-owned agency.
The protesters, primarily junior staff, expressed frustration over a significant pay disparity between senior executives and junior workers.
They accused the management of neglecting their welfare and excluding them from the minimum wage payments.
Arriving at the office around 8 a.m., the workers blocked the agency’s entrance and a major road in the area, disrupting activities.
They sang solidarity songs and vowed not to resume work until their grievances were addressed.
A protester, identified only as Isah, criticised the management’s alleged insensitivity.
“We have tabled our grievance before the management but no action has been taken on it that is why we decided to take this action,” he said.
The workers appealed to the state government to urgently look into their demands and do the needful, saying they deserved better remuneration.
In a statement, Special Adviser to Ondo Governor on Union Matters, Comrade Bola Taiwo, said the issue would soon be resolved.
He assured the protesting ODIRS workers that the state government would urgently address their demands.
Taiwo said, “This protest is a minor issue because all core civil servants, including local government employees, parliamentary staff, and political appointees, have received their salaries. The affected workers of the ODIRS are from the private sector, not public servants but the governor directed yesterday (Wednesday ) that they should not be paid the old salary but the new minimum wage.
“We asked for their demands, but they provided none. We are unsure of the protest’s motivation. Normally, they should have submitted a formal letter of demand to the government. The governor who is currently in Abuja called a few minutes ago, instructing us not to force them out but to allow them to protest.
“The minimum wage approval will be signed within the next 30 minutes. There is no salary problem in Ondo State. If they have unresolved issues with their management, they need to present their demands formally”
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