Ekiti sacked workers seek reinstatement, appeal for payment of five-year salary arrears

By Oluwasegun Aina

No fewer than 2,000 workers in the Ekiti State Teaching Serving Commission and Ekiti State Civil Service Commission have appealed to Governor Biodun Oyebanji to reinstate the appointments of their sacked members and pay their five-year backlog.

The workers made the call on Tuesday at a press Conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat, old Governor’s office, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.

A statement jointly signed by Ajayi Peter, Aribatise Ademola and read by Bayo Omoyeni, said no fewer than 2000 workers were employed in September, 2018 under the administration of Ayodele Fayose but had their appointments terminated by former Governor Kayode Fayemi, who described them as “irregular appointments.”

The statement said that the workers “were employed under a free, fair and credible process as laid down by the Civil Service law of Ekiti State.”

However, the workers were not paid a dime after working in the service commission for nine months before they were sacked by Fayemi’s administration.

Meanwhile, the National Industrial Court sitting in Akure, Ondo state on Thursday, 8th February 2024 delivered judgement in the suit No: NICN/AK/30/2022., in favour of the workers.

The court, presided by Justice K.D Damulak declared that the workers, having been employed by the Ekiti State Government and posted to different workplaces were entitled to be paid by government.

He ordered the Ekiti State Government to pay the salary of the 2018 TESCOM and Civil service staff members from the date of their appointments till date of the judgement and thereafter.

The group thereby called on Governor Biodun Oyebanji “to be merciful and do the right thing” by calling back the sacked members into the service commission.