Hospitals, schools and other government parastatals in Ogun State have been left deserted as the statewide industrial strike embarked upon by the labour unions entered its seventh day.
The state hospital visited by our correspondent had patients neglected and unattended as at the time of filing this report.
DAILY POST reports that workers in the state embarked on an indefinite strike over non-remittance of the contributing pension funds and other irregularities
The workers lamented that Contributory Pension Scheme has failed in its objective as successive governments in the past 17 years failed to remit funds, owing an accumulated contributory pension of N82 billion.
Our correspondent observed that hospitals, schools, the State House of Assembly, among others, remained closed on Tuesday.
A patient who visited the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOSUTH, Sagamu, told our correspondent that he was refereed to another hospital.
“They are not attending to patients, they referred me elsewhere,” the patient lamented.
In Abeokuta, the state capital, the ever busy State Hospital, Ijaye, was deserted as doctors weren’t at their duty posts.
While visiting several government schools across the state, our correspondent noticed that the strike also had an impact on the third-term exams which were suppose to commence last Tuesday.
DAILY POST reports that despite several meetings with Governor Dapo Abiodun, the workers vowed to continue the indefinite strike until their demands are met.
Abiodun had assured them that his administration would ensure immediate payment for workers who retire from July 2, 2025, through the Contributory Pension Scheme.
He noted that a 10-year payment plan would commence from 2025 to 2030 under the first phase, while the second phase, which would commence next year, would be from 2030 to 2035.
Noting their dissatisfaction with the governor’s stance on the Contributory Pension Scheme, NLC State chairman Hameed-Benco Ademola insisted that the strike would go on until their demands were addressed.
Hameed-Benco stated that the meeting with the State Government deliberated on issues concerning the Contributory Pension Scheme, new minimum wage (2024) vis a vis its consequential adjustments, eight years arrears of Leave Allowance, consequential adjustments on pension and promotion of staff (2023 & 2024).
Hameed-Benco explained that they embarked on the industrial action not to cripple the economy but to fight for their rights.
However, unconfirmed reports suggest that the government and the organized labour may reach a considerable conclusion on Tuesday.
