As workers all over the world celebrate International Workers’ Day, otherwise known as May Day, on May 1, the Ogun State Government has announced the pardon of three out of the remaining four workers earlier dismissed for acts that were in flagrant disregard of the civil service rules.

Announcing the pardon in his address at an elaborate ceremony to mark the Day, on Monday, the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, said: “The dismissed workers are pardoned, they will now proceed on retirement from the public service with full terminal benefits in accordance with the extant public service regulations.”

Those affected by the pardon are Messrs Dare Ilekoya, Eniola Atiku and Nola Balogun.

In arriving at this decision, the Governor acknowledged the mediatory roles played by the National leadership of the labour unions, particularly the Comrade Michael Alogba-led NUT; the national leadership of the NLC and TUC, as well as revered Elders like Baba Olusegun Obasanjo and respected traditional rulers across Ogun State, amongst others.

The Governor added that, “the pardon does not apply to Mr. Akeem Ambali because, unlike the other three, he had approached the law courts to challenge his dismissal from the civil service. While all parties await the outcome of litigation, as a responsible and law-abiding administration, we cannot be seen to have taken any action on a matter that is already before a court of competent jurisdiction. That will be subjudice and an affront to the independence of the other arm of Government.”

In addition to this, the Governor reiterated that in the spirit of the May Day celebrations, the state government has also pardoned a section of the workforce that unlawfully stayed away from duty in the month of October 2016 and has therefore paid them for that month.

It will be recalled that a section of the workforce embarked on an illegal strike action in October 2016 and the state government evoked the ‘no work, no pay rule’ in response.

In the same vein, the Governor added that the state government, in its characteristic manner of always placing the interest of its workforce on the front burner, has ensured the payment of April 2017 salaries to all categories of workers before the end of the month.

While wishing workers in Ogun State, a happy workers’ day, the Governor urged them to reciprocate the gesture of the state government by rededicating themselves anew to duty and supporting efforts of the current administration in rebuilding the Gateway state.

•Photo shows, L-R; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ogun State, Comrade Olubunmi Fajobi and his Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), counterpart, Comrade Akeem Ambali during the 2017 May Day Rally, held at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, on Monday.

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