Oyo State Governor and the Presidential Candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), ‘Seyi Makinde, on Thursday assured striking workers at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, that the state government will address all their outstanding demands.
The governor stated that issues including salary arrears, minimum wage arrears, promotion arrears, and the Medical Residency Training Bill would be resolved promptly.
He appealed for understanding from the workers, noting that the state’s economic challenges stem from rising financial obligations that now far exceed available revenues.
Speaking during a meeting with stakeholders at the Teaching Hospital, Governor Makinde explained that despite public assumptions about increased federal allocations, Oyo State’s wage bill has risen sharply from ₦4.5 billion in 2019 to ₦18 billion in 2026.
He added that major infrastructure projects have also become significantly more expensive, citing the 76kilometre Iseyin–Fapote–Ogbomoso Road, which cost ₦43 billion in 2023 but would now require at least ₦200 billion due to inflation and broader economic pressures.
Makinde said: “Initially, I didn’t want to respond to those who are on strike. But if there are challenges, we must find ways to solve them. You put this government in place. The first step is for you to call off the strike, and once you assure me of that, we can move forward. This is our state; how we lay our bed is how we will lie on it.”
He emphasized the need for workers to be considerate, given the state’s current financial realities.
Makinde said: “When I assumed office in 2019, FAAC was around ₦6–7 billion, and the first salary bill I signed was ₦4.5 billion. Today, the same road project we executed for ₦43 billion would cost ₦200 billion. That is our situation.”
The governor confirmed that the ₦162 million salary arrears owed to workers would be paid. He noted that the October salary bill had already been prepared and signed, and that arrear payments would be made by mid November.
Makinde added that although he has about seven months left in office, he is committed to resolving as many outstanding issues as possible to ensure the next administration can focus on new priorities. “The Medical Residency Training Bill will be signed once I receive the clean copies. Our target is the first week of November.”
Addressing JOHESU’s concerns, he stated that the minimum wage arrears and promotion arrears for October, November, and December 2024, amounting to ₦38 million, would also be cleared.
The governor said, “I will look for ₦200 million so that once salaries are paid, we can settle these arrears, hopefully before mid November.”
In a gesture that drew applause, Governor Makinde approved an increase in the monthly salary of cleaners at the Teaching Hospital from ₦15,000 to ₦80,000, aligning their pay with the national minimum wage. The decision followed an unscheduled appeal from the cleaners, who met the governor during his visit.