Guardian

THE Oyo State Chapter of Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has called on Governor Abiola Ajimobi to comply with the national minimum wage law, which stipulates N18, 000 as basic salary for grade one workers with commensurate increase for workers in other levels.

Besides, the party in a statement by its secretary, Abiodun Bamigboye also demanded adequate compensation for traders and residents whose shops and houses were demolished without prior alternative under the guise of beautification and cleaning-up project.

It will be recalled that on May 2, 2012 workers in the state public service suspended its three-week strike to pave way for negotiation with the state government on the payment of the N18, 000 minimum wage.

The party, however, alleged that the ACN led government in the state had failed to meet this demand.

It also tasked the state leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to come out with a programme of action including mass sensitisation, strike and mass protest for immediate and unconditional payment of the new minimum wage to Oyo state workers.

It further condemned what it described as the selective beautification project of the current administration at strategic places while neglecting the inner and interior roads, which are in deplorable condition.

“We of SPN do not approve of the situation where people trade either on the road sides or the streets. It is however the failure of the successive capitalist governments in the state and nationally to use the resources of the society for the benefit of the working people that has created ugly conditions whereby working people are forced to be selling or trading on the road sides.”

The party subsequently tasked the governor to adequately invest the collective resources of the state in building low-cost markets for poor traders as well as provide basic social services like education and health care.