Ondo workers protest over non-payment of new minimum wage

Workers of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) on Thursday shut offices over the non-implementation of the N73,000 new minimum wage by the state government.

The protesting staff as early as 8.00am blocked the major roads leading to the ODIRS office and other offices located on Igbatoro road in Akure, complaining over non-payment of the minimum wage to them by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration.

Armed with placards of various inscriptions, the workers vowed not to return to their various offices until the issue is resolved.

The workers lamented that they had discussed their grievance with the government without positive response on non-implementation of the new minimum wage.

They alleged that state was insensitive to the plight of workers, accusing the government of deceit over the implementation of the N73, 000 minimum wage announced by Aiyedatiwa.

The workers called on the state government to urgently look into their demand in order not to down tools, saying they deserved a better remuneration.

Thefrontrank reports that also the Youth Assembly Of Nigeria (YAN), Akure South Local Government, in a statement titled “The Unpaid Wage: A Cry for Justice in Ondo State” by its Coordinator, Alasoadura Aderonke, described the state government’s implementation of the N73,000 minimum wage as “reeks of deceit.”

The statement reads: “In the annals of governance, trust is a currency more valuable than gold. Yet, in Ondo State, under the stewardship of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, that trust is being stretched to its thinnest thread.

“With promises made but not kept, the government’s handling of the new minimum wage reeks of deceit and selective justice. How long shall the workers endure this bitter pill of broken vows?

“Recall, during the election season, the Governor’s voice rang loud with pledges of change. Among his most celebrated promises was the increase of the minimum wage to ₦73,000. This pledge, a beacon of hope for many struggling workers, was formally announced as implemented two months ago.
“Yet, today, it stands exposed as a partial truth. While some ministries have seen the light of this promise fulfilled, others, notably the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS), remain shrouded in darkness.

“Imagine the shock and despair of ODIRS staff who, rather than receiving their due, were met with a patronizing plea from their chairman to “bear with the government.” Bear with the government? Are ODIRS employees and other affected agencies not integral to the machinery of the state? Or are they lesser citizens, undeserving of the fairness and equity extended to their peers? This selective implementation is not just an insult; it is an affront to the dignity of labor.

“But the tale of woe does not end here. The government, in its current stance, has embraced a pattern of consistent delays in the payment of monthly salaries. What was once a predictable cycle has now become a maze of uncertainty, with ODIRS workers left to grapple with unpaid allowances and financial hardship. This lack of communication regarding payment schedules is a betrayal of the very transparency the government claims to champion.

“The irony is stark and shameful. The core mandate of ODIRS is transparency and accountability in revenue generation. Yet, its employees are subjected to a government that neither practices what it preaches nor honors its commitments. The hypocrisy is staggering, and the silence from leadership deafening.

“The workers of Ondo State deserve better. They demand not just their rightful wages but a clear and transparent structure that leaves no room for ambiguity or favoritism. The new salary structure must be published and applied uniformly across all ministries, departments, and agencies. Anything less is a mockery of justice and an insult to the intelligence of the people.

“Governor Aiyedatiwa, the time to act is now. Let your legacy not be one of betrayal and broken promises. Restore trust, honor your word, and pay the new minimum wage without delay. For every day of inaction, you deepen the wounds of your workforce and erode the faith of the very people you swore to serve.”

Speaking on the issue, the Special Adviser to Ondo Governor on Union Matters, Comrade Bola Taiwo, described the protest as “a minor issue which will be resolved soon”, assuring the protesting workers that the state government would “urgently address their demand.”