The Ekiti State government has debunked reports that it plans to sack workers in the civil service.

A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, reads:

“The government’s attention has been drawn to reports that it plans to sack workers in the MDAs. The misleading reports, which quoted an anonymous source in the office of the Head of Service, is a tissue of lies and a figment of the writer’s imagination.

“The Office of the Head of Service has no plans to disengage workers in the listed MDAs as claimed in the malicious reports. The Head of Service, Mr. Ayodeji Ajayi, is authorised to speak on issues relating to the service and not the rumour mill.

“Contrary to the concocted lies, the government wishes to place it on record that it has no plan to sack anyone in the MDAs. Instead, it is about concluding the process of employing about 3,000 workers in the teaching and civil service.

“The recruitment process, which was well advertised, began in September 2019 and has reached the final stage, as about 98 per cent of the applicants who passed the examinations have gone through interview sessions preparatory to the issuance of their employment letters as teachers in the public primary and secondary schools, and in the civil service…”

The clarification followed a protest by the organised labour against alleged plans by the government to sack workers.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the government recently sacked 1,000 workers of Ekiti State University (EKSU) and another 200 at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH). They got their sack letters few days to Christmas.

The labour movement, in a January 3 letter to the governor, expressed disgust at the development, which it described as ‘as ill-timed and too arbitrary’.

The letter was signed by Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Sola Adigun; Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Taiwo Akinyemi; TUC Secretary Lawrence Kuloogun and Secretary of the Joint Negotiating Council Gbenga Olowoyo.

It warned against the continuation of the trend, claiming there were plans to sack more workers across all ministries, departments, agencies and schools.

The letter reads:

“Labour deems this letter expedient owing to insinuations that Governor Kayode Fayemi is not aware of the mass sack in EKSU and EKSUTH.

“Information at our disposal shows that due process was not followed before those affected were sacked or compulsorily retired. We also found that some workers, who still have up to four years before retirement ,were affected, and this is not in the people’s best interest.

“We also found that Femi Adeleye Daniel, a porter with EKSUTH, was retired because of his involvement in the mobilisation of workers for a congress.”