Sacked Ekiti workers seek reinstatement, beg for payment of 5-year salary arrears

Adebayo Adenrele




No fewer than 2,000 workers under the aegis of 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 5-yr backlogs.

The workers made the call on Tuesday in a Press Conference at 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 it 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 9 months before they were sacked by Fayemi’s administration.

Meanwhile, the National Industrial Court sitting in Akure, Ondo state on Thursday, 8th February 2024 had 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 are entitled to be paid by government.

He ordered the Ekiti State Government to pay the salary of the 2018 TESCOM and Civil service staff 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.