Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State on Tuesday reinstated the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Akeem Ambali, into the state’s civil service after his sack in October, 2016 in the state.
Ambali and 15 other labour leaders, including the former Chairman of the State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Dare Ilekoya, were dismissed from the civil service by the state government.
They were accused of professional misconduct during the 2016 World Teachers’ Day celebration in the state.
While 15 of the labour leaders were later pardoned, Ambali’s case was not revisited.
Three other civil servants earlier disengaged were also recalled on Tuesday.
The reinstatement followed a protracted meeting between the state government led by Amosun and the national leadership of the NLC led by its president, Ayuba Wabba.
The meeting, which was inconclusive on Monday, was reconvened on Tuesday.
The NLC leadership had mobilised workers from the neighboring states for a solidarity protest against the Ogun government, which they accused of anti-labour policies.
Wabba, who had addressed newsmen on Monday before the commencement of the meeting, said that labour planned to protest against unremitted deductions from workers’ salaries and unilateral imposition of a new payment schedule for gratuity.
He said labour also planned to protest the sack of Ambali as well as the unpaid salaries of workers at the Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Ijebu-Ode.
Wabba on Tuesday in Abeokuta, however, commended Amosun , saying that “all the issues have been resolved.’’
“All the four issues have been resolved and the governor has agreed to recall the state chairman of NLC into the civil service.
“I want to use this medium to thank the governor because he has demonstrated that where there is will; issues can always be resolved at the negotiation table.
“You will realise we started the meeting on Monday and we reconvened today and all through the discussions, the governor was physically available with his officials and all the issues have been resolved,” he said.
Ambali, who also addressed newsmen, expressed appreciation to the governor over his recall.
“I thank the Almighty God and I appreciate the magnanimity of Governor Amosun because I have been out and back to my service.
“You know in any human relationships, there is bound to be friction and the mature way the governor handled it speaks volumes and we are so happy,
“We are delighted with the outcome of this meeting because it has been a productive meeting and has reinforced hope that labour and government industrial relations in the state will continue to improve.
“Now, there’s no more war, there’s no more fight,” he said.
Amosun, who had earlier addressed newsmen, ascribed the face-off between labour and the government to “communication gap.”
“I have to thank them as always because this is not the first time the NLC leadership will be here.
“The last time they came, all outstanding issues were resolved.
“I thank God they have come and we’ve resolved all matters and I am sure that the workers and all of us in Ogun will be the better for it,” he said.
