Remain on strike if you like, I can’t sell myself to pay salaries, Fayose tells striking workers

Workers in Ekiti State on Thursday began an indefinite strike over government’s inability to pay five months salary arrears and for failing to refund deductions made from their December 2015 salaries.

The strike brought the state capital to a halt as government offices and public schools remained shut.

Following the strike actions by workers in Ekiti state,Governor Ayodele Fayose has said he cannot sell himself or his family to raise funds for the workers, he would have to wait for the workers to return.

The governor said in a broadcast on Thursday that the workers must understand that strike was not an option and that the monthly wage bill was over N2bn but the state received as low as N751m in April.
He said,

“Right now, I’m helpless. It is difficult to sell myself, my family or my property. I can only depend on what I get from Abuja. I want workers to understand that it is my priority to make them comfortable.

“Even before going on their strike, I got to know that many of them no longer come to office while many others were coming late to office. Why I refused to come hard on those involved was that I had no moral justification to do so since I knew we were owing them.

“I don’t have powers to go on strike, we shall be waiting till when they come back, but they must realise that strike is not the best option

“Even in Government House, we don’t have money to power generators with diesel, whereas, I cannot sell myself or members of my family to raise funds, things are that difficult,” Fayose said.