Very wrong to sack workers without due process – Makinde’s aide attacks El-Rufai

The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Labour Affairs, Comrade Bayo Titilola Sodo has said it is wrong for the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to sack some workers in the state.

Sodo, who is the immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State, made this disclosure while speaking with journalists in Ibadan on Wednesday.

Recall that El-Rufai on Tuesday announced the sack of lecturers at the Kaduna State University who joined the ongoing labour protest in the state.

But, the former NULGE President while featuring at an interactive session organized by the Oyo State Council, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), insisted that Kaduna State is not the property of the Governor, hence it was wrong for him to sack workers without due process.

Sodo insisted that he will always be on the side of the workers because he believes in the promotion of the welfare of workers.

He said as a Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Labour Affairs, he will continue to agitate for the welfare of workers irrespective of their level or position.

He added that he represents the organised labour in the government of Governor Seyi Makinde, hence he has been working to ensure that workers welfare is given the needed attention.

“I am with NLC, you cannot just wake up one day and say that you are sacking the workers.

“It is about the government. It is not about El-Rufai and sons. It is the Kaduna State government. Due process must be followed.

“I see myself as a representative of labour in the government of Governor Seyi Makinde. I see myself as the ears and eyes of the labour. I take responsibility for whatever mistake the governor may have made.”

Sodo who noted that Oyo State is paying 30,500 minimum wage added that some wrongly dismissed workers have been reinstated by the Makinde administration.

He said the workers were recalled because it was found out that they were wrongly sacked by the previous administration in the state.

“Some wrongly dismissed workers have been reinstated back to the service. The minimum wage in Oyo State is N30,500 and I can say that if not for COVID-19, it will be more than that.

“The government has paid over N13 billion across sectors to pensioners in the state and it has increased the maternity leave to six (6) months.

“You can see, the labour/government relation has improved. That is not what we met in May 2019.”